Hello everyone, Today (release day) September 20th is also my birthday. I waited on releasing this until today as a gift for myself and to the fans who have waited so long to see what this battle could have looked like back in the day. I sincerely hope you enjoyed watching this video as much as I enjoyed making it! ----------------------------------- *Q&A for Massacre Part I* ----------------------------------- *Table of Contents:* - Story Questions - Nitpicks - Technical Questions - Trivia - Hanson's Fleet Manifest ----------------------------------- *Story questions:* ----------------------------------- *1) When will part 2 be released?* Right now, no ETA. I've been working continuously over the summer producing part 1 of the massacre. I'm taking some time off to relax and looking into getting into this field professionally. I'll post an update on part 2 when I know more. *2) What will part 2 be about?* Part 2 will focus on wraping up the battle and will feature minor characters that were involved at Wolf 359 that were referenced in later Star Trek (namely Voyager). Characters include: - Captain Amasov of the USS Endeavour (who will take command of the fleet) - Riley Frazier, science officer of the USS Roosevelt (from "Unity") - Laura Heimbold, captain (not sure of what ship yet) (from "Unimatrix Zero") - Marianne Bergan, captain of a civilian transport which warps in system (from "Infinite Regress") *(Note: Some characters may not appear on screen but instead referenced in either text or dialoug)* It will also attempt to answer how these characters end up in the Delta Quadrant and how the Queen survives(?) *3) What happened to the Righteous?* Instead of directly following the ST:Borgs ending(s), I reimagined the Righteous' fate so that it appeared as though it would meet a similar fate as the other ships, only for it to be rescued by "Q" (who was off-screen until the last second). This was done in order to maintain the pacing as well as the drama of the battle unfolding. *4) What was Hanson's tactic?* The idea behind Hanson's tactic was that attack wings would be cycled in and out of battle to keep continuous fire on the cube while giving the wings previously in combat a chance to repair any damage sustained before being cycled into battle again. This would go on until the fleet wore down the cubes defenses. Then all ships would swarm in for the kill. At least in theory anyway. In practice, however, it was a disaster. One that Hanson could have mitigated from the start had he simply called off the attack. Thus, it was my intention to depict Hanson as being a liability for Starfleet during the battle. I based him on the "crazy/corrupt admiral" theme used throughout TNG (i.e. Admiral Mark Jameson, Admiral Pressman, Admiral Satie, etc.) Only with Hanson, he's not so much "crazy" or "corrupt", as he is "complacent" and "stubborn" as well as inexperienced against a *real* threat like the Borg. Hanson foolishly believed that tactics employed against adversaries like the Cardassians or Tzenkethi would work against the Borg as well. Unfortunately, this made him not only unwilling to call off the attack early on (despite the losses) but he doubled down, sending in one attack wing after another. It wasn't until after the destruction of "attack wing five" where Hanson changes tactics. This time, he sends in two wings which would flank the cube together in an attempt of confuse the cube. This would give an opening for Hanson's battle group to begin it's frontal assault. And his plan actually worked! If only for a moment. He was successful in not only confusing the cube but his assault damaged the cube as well (not visually -- but internally, specifically the cubes power grid was weakened by the heavy onslaught from the retuned phasers and torpedoes. See: nitpicks section). It was only when the cube returned fire and quickly destroyed Hanson's ships one by one that he realized his mistake and called for the retreat. But it was too little too late. *5) Why didn't the background ships participate during Hanson's assault?* Attack wings eight through twelve were acting as reserve units for Hanson's assault. Basically, if Hanson's attack was successful, those wings would be called in to provide additional fire. However, things changed quickly and with the cube disrupting comms there was no time/way to call in the reserves until it was too late. So Hanson was forced to flee. *6) Picard's scream/Locutus' tear...* It's based on the end of BOBW Part II, where Picard breaks through the Borg's collective consciousness and makes contact with Data. I wanted to show that Picard was there resisting during the whole ordeal at Wolf 359. But he was resisting the hardest during the Hanson's withdraw (what was left of his mind was screaming "NO!") forcing Locutus to briefly hesitate. It was only because of the Queen's interference that Picard lost the struggle and Locutus regained control and attacked -- destroying his old friend, thus the tear in Locutus' eye. *7) Where are the ships going in the final shot?* All remaining ships are complying with Hanson's withdraw order and are falling back to "Position Omega" which is near the edge of the Wolf system. Part 2 will delve into that more. --------------------------------- *Nitpicks:* --------------------------------- *1) Hanson's ship is supposed to be...* I chose to disregard certain elements in the episode alluding to Hanson's association to the Melbourne (or other ship/s) and the "red alert display" on his bridge in favor of the script -- which establishes that Hanson is on a Galaxy during the battle. For my depiction, the "TMP style" red alert display is a "quirk" for this particular ship. *1A) Why is Hanson's Galaxy separated?* Couple of reasons: A - While building the prelude to the battle, I wanted to differentiate Hanson's ship from the Enterprise at a glance so that you knew that wasn't the Enterprise. Yes, seeing a whole Galaxy surrounded by other ships might make it obvious, but it also made it easier to tell the story directly from the battle bridge without explaining why. B - I wanted to depict Probert's original intent for separation -- meaning leave the saucer and the civilians behind at Starbase 324 while the stardrive confronted the threat. Also, I wanted to show that the stardrive can hold its own just fine without the "extra power" from the saucers impulse engines. *2) Excelsior-class Melbourne/Roma wasn't hit by a shield drain weapon...* I wanted to provide an explaination as to why the Roma was taken out so quickly compared to the USS Righteous who's shields withstood several "projectile" hits during its assault. I felt that using only the tractor beam to drain the shields would have drained them *far* too fast compared to the supposedly weaker Saratoga. *2A) The Borg shield drain weapon didn't look like that...* Artistic license. I changed its appearance to reflect a more powerful version compared to "Q Who" and to differentiate it from the disruptor-like projectile. *2B) The Borg shield drain weapon was only fired at warp...* I wanted to show that this wasn't strictly a long range weapon to be used only at warp speed, but can be used at sublight at close range as well. *2C) Excelsior-class Melbourne/Roma didn't collide with the cube...* In the episode "Emissary" it was implied that it "could" have collided with the cube. The Roma was pulled in close enough to the cube to fall into its shadow and for it's hull fires to reflect on the cube's hull before the camera cuts away. With the speed both vessels were moving it's unlikely a collision could have been avoided. So I depicted it. *2D) Shouldn't the cube be damaged from the collision?* Unlike Data and Worf's shuttle which managed to penetrate the cube's electromagnetic field thanks to a distraction from the Enterprise. The Borg were aware of the Roma's proximity and adjusted the cube's electromagnetic field to protect it from the impact. In my depiction, this field has made the cube (almost) invulnerable during the battle. Meaning, even if most of the fleet collided with the cube, it would have remained largely undamaged. *3) Minor power fluctuations?* In my depiction of Wolf 359, I wanted to show that despite the cube adapting to the retuned phasers -- Hanson's full-on assault (which lasted longer than the Enterprise's deflector attack) demenstrated the most fleeting glimpse that the cube *can* be weakened by brute force in numbers. Only Hanson didn't have enough ships, the weaponary or the time necessary to inflict anything more than "minor power fluctuations" before being destroyed himself. *3A) Why didn't Hanson or other ships use their deflectors as weapons?* I prefer to believe that Hanson ruled out using the deflector weapon for the battle due to its impracticality in such a chaotic environment. *Nitpicks, Technical questions, Trivia and Hanson's fleet manifest in next comment below:*
----------------------------------- *Q&A for Massacre Part I (continued)* ----------------------------------- --------------------------------- *Nitpicks (continued):* --------------------------------- *4) Shaw's beard...* I attempted several times to remove shaws beard digitally. However, the results were less than stellar. So I decided to just darken it and remove the sides. Besides, I wanted people to recognize him at a glance anyway. As far as regluations, the only canon element remotely close that I can find is Thomas Riker. While he had seniority as a Lieutenant, he was still a junior officer like Shaw and subject to similar regulations. However, he was allowed to keep his beard on the Enterprise (and presumably the Gandhi) with out seemingly any repercussions. *5) Starship chatter...* Instead of just showing ships flying around getting blown up, I wanted to humanize the battle by including "limited" starship chatter. I'm also using a new service that has improved ai speech sythensis compared to what I was using before so I wanted to put them to work. --------------------------------- *Technical questions:* --------------------------------- *1) What software did you use?* I used Blender for the animation, rendering and compositing. *2) How long did it take to make this?* - Preludes Part 1 and 2, Feburary 2022 - June 2023 - Massacre Part 1, October 2022 - September 19th 2023 - Massacre Part 2, April 2023 - work still ongoing (likely early to mid 2024) - Aftermath - work hasn't begun yet (likely mid to late 2024) Since Feburary of 2022 this entire project will likely take 2 1/2 years to complete. *2) What ship is that?* Please refer to "Hanson's Fleet Manifest" below. It contains ship descriptions, names/classes/registries and what attack wing they belong to. --------------------------------- *Trivia:* --------------------------------- *1A) Hanson's final moments* The last shot of Hanson on his ruined bridge is based on Enabran Tain's (supposed) final moments on the bridge of his warbird from "The Die Is Cast." *1B) Hanson's withdraw* For Hanson's retreat and the ending shot of the escorts fleeing, I drew inspiration from the Odyssey battle from "The Jem'Hadar." *2) Kyushu / Defiant* As some have noted -- yes, I did base the Kyushu fighting and dodging wreckages from the Defiant in "Star Trek: First Contact." I wanted to show several popular ship classes (like the Excelsior-class Righteous) kicking ass like we've never seen before. In the case of the Kyushu, I wanted to show off her maneuverability as a frigate. Unfortunately, she isn't quite as nimble as the Defiant... *3) Righteous uniforms* While it couldn't be helped, I like to think that the crew of the Righteous were selected to be part of a "pilot program" --- testing and giving feedback on very early verisons of the uniforms that came to be used on DS9 several years later. *4) Federation-class USS Star League* At one point I wasn't going to use it because I felt the concept of Starfleet still using an old dreadnought was silly. But I was running out of ship designs to use so I said "screw it." The only rule I had was it absolutely had to be of the refit configuration not the TOS config. *Anyway, minor backstory:* After the signing of the Khitomer Accords in 2293, Starfleet was forced to disband it's dreadnought type starships. However, instead of simply scrapping them, Starfleet chose to change the mission profile of the class by changing the emphasis from tactical systems and more towards transport and scientific duty. The USS Star League herself gained 10 new science labs (replacing the armory's and stratiegic operations center) and an enhanced sensor suite which improved long range resolution by almost 12 percent. An enhanced automation center was installed based on the still-new Excelsior-class which reduced operating costs and the overall crew compliment by nearly half. Unfortunately, the Star League's service life after the signing of the Khitomer-Accords was unremarkable. Instead of being sent on missions utilizing her new scientific capabilities, she was instead used for transport duty. In fact, she almost never ventured out of the core systems of the Federation since, typically only operating between Sol and Vulcan. Her furthest reach, post-Khitomer, was a transport run to Starbase 12. By 2366, the Star League was the last of her class still in service. By that time, the computer core had been refit to "relatively" modern standards. Due to the high level of automation, her crew compliment had been reduced from nearly 600 personale in 2293 to only 50 personale by 2366. Thanks to her reliablity over the decades, Starfleet allowed the Star League to remain in service almost forgotten about... until the day the call came in. On stardate 43998.3, the Star League was on a transport run between Sol and Andoria when she was contacted by Starfleet and ordered to Wolf 359 as part of Admiral Hanson's fleet. The Star League arrived in the Wolf system on stardate 43999.1, she was the earliest ship to arrive on station. Later while organizing the fleet, Admiral Hanson assigned the Star League to "attack wing seven" along with the USS Leonov and the USS Constance. At 0805 hours on stardate 44002.33, the Star League was destroyed by a combination of cutting beams and disruptor hits which destroyed much of her saucer section and badly damaged the secondary hull. Out of a crew of 50, only 12 survivors from the Star League were recovered in the aftermath of the massacre. Later, during an examination by the S.C.E on stardate 44013.6, it was discovered that many of her systems were "ripped out" by force along with residual Borg signatures in the wreckage. She was deemed unsalvagable and later transported to the Surplus Depot Z15 in orbit of Qualor II on stardate 44247.3 where she is slated to be scrapped. --------------------------------- *Hanson's Fleet Manifest* --------------------------------- *Battle Group Hanson* USS Auriga - NCC-71797 - Galaxy-class (Stardrive) USS Kadosca - NCC-1994-C - Narendra-class (Probert's original Ambassador) USS Princeton - NCC-59804 - Niagara-class USS Champlin - NCC-53914 - Pegasus-class (Ambassador era Nebula-class) USS Agincourt - NCC-1813 - Constitution II-class Type-2 (Cargo docks in saucer, sideways nacelles) USS Liberator - NCC-67016 - New Orleans-class USS Firebrand - NCC-68723 - Freedom-class *Attack Wing 1* USS Bellerophon - NCC-62048 - Nebula-class USS Yamaguchi - NCC-26510 - Ambassador-class
*Attack Wing 2* USS Roma (Melbourne) - NCC-62451 (NCC-62043) - Excelsior-class Type-1 USS Saratoga - NCC-31911 - Miranda-class Type-3 (Outboard sensor pods)
*Attack Wing 3* USS Melbourne - NCC-62043-A - Nebula-class (Long range prototype) USS Tolstoy - NCC-62095 - Rigel-class USS Kyushu - NCC-65491 - New Orleans-class USS Righteous - NCC-42451 - Excelsior-class Type-1
*Attack Wing 4* USS Chekov - NCC-57302 - Springfield-class USS Gage - NCC-11672 - Apollo-class USS Bonestell - NCC-31600 - Oberth-class
*Attack Wing 5* USS Buran - NCC-57580 - Challenger-class USS Taurus - NCC-25127 - Excelsior-class Type-5 (similar to Curry-class only with all Excelsior parts) USS Pisces - NCC-16113 - Stingray-class (Constitution variant, Centaur-like scout)
*Attack Wing 6* USS Tyrargo - NCC-29456 - Esmeralda-class (Ambassador variant with 4 nacelles) USS Hoagland - NCC-31842 - Miranda-class Type-1 USS Torrens - NCC-28348 - Trent-class (small Ambassador era scout)
*Attack Wing 7* USS Constance - NCC-10367 - Constellation-class USS Star League - NCC-2101 - Federation-class Refit USS Leonov - NCC-20104 - Excelsior-class Type-3 (Based on early prototype design) *Attack Wing 8* USS Ahwahnee - NCC-71620 - Cheyenne-class USS Montoro - NCC-69721 - Diomos-class (Galaxy era cruiser) USS Demeter - NCC-26295 - Miranda-class Type-1
*Attack Wing 9* USS Endeavour - NCC-71805 - Nebula-class USS Trent - NCC-27017 - Trent-class (small Ambassador era scout) USS Monarch - NCC-29995 - Renaissance-class (Ambassador era medium cruiser)
*Attack Wing 10* USS Anesidora - NCC-26680 - Ambassador-class USS Roosevelt - NCC-2573 - Excelsior-class Type-2 (Enterprise-B Type) USS Pulsar - NCC-10508 - Constellation-class
*Attack Wing 11* USS Columbia - NCC-37402 - Excelsior-class Type-1 USS Paris - NCC-20818 - Excelsior-class Type-4 (Four nacelle variant)
*Attack Wing 12* USS Yorktown - NCC-61137 - Zodiac-class (Nebula variant, upswept nacelles, phasers only) USS Rutherford - NCC-18353 - Miranda-class Type-4 (No rollbar, but phaser cannons remain)
Hearing Picard's mind screaming "Noooo!" and seeing a tear run down his face made me shiver. The pain, fear and dread he must've felt for all the people who died and could die on Earth... It just shows how determined his will was as a Borg Drone and how mentally strong in the time after
I could not aggree more, like this is everything I hoped for, the details. Even the nod to the Star trek borg game made me have the biggest shit eating grin. This is Canon .
@@stargazerblue186 But it's not cannon, it's just Picard having a Nexus fantasy. He never left the Nexus (it is NOT a time travel device) so no Next Gen movie or tv show should be thought of as cannon.
@@Folker46590Remember that these are all just the mad ramblings of a black sci-fi writer from the 60's trying to tell a story about a "Deep Space Nine"
Yeah that part gets me cause it makes me think of the episode Family where Picard breaks down about how much he tried to fight them from taking everything he was.
Glad you guys got to see this, it's a perfect capturing of the aesthetic and design of the classic era that only proves it can still work well in modern times!
I've been waiting 30+ years to see this most dramatic of canon events a full and proper treatment, and I'm blown away. The research, passion dedication shine through. If you have a Patreon, please share it and I'll be happy to contribute, even if future projects are not Trek-related. Thanks and keep up the great work! Oh, and Happy Birthday, except that you have given us the best gift of all!
As tragic as this was it actually saved the Federation. This loss provided the catalyst for Starfleet to relook at ship design, and led to the production of more powerful ships such as the Sovereign class, Defiant, Akira and Steamrunner. Without these ships the Dominion War would have been lost.
But it's not cannon, it's just Picard having a Nexus fantasy. He never left the Nexus (it is NOT a time travel device) so no Next Gen movie or tv show should be thought of as cannon.
@@Folker46590No next gen movie or tv show should be thought of as canon? Get the F outta here. They are canon whether you like it or not. DS9 and Voyager are some of the best of Star Trek. Amd First Contact is still one of the best Star Trek movies
@@youtubeistryingtocensorme They are not cannon to me. Star Trek is dead anyway, poor writing and constantly changing lore ruined it. I was just explaining to the window lickers why Picard is still in the Nexus, so anything with him in it is him having a fantasy. A true reboot would admit that and disavow everything post Generations.
Fantastic work. The music, the cinematography, the incorporation of so many different angles of the battle. And that mental scream from Picard just before destroying the Admiral's ship? Goosebumps. Marvelous. Just...marvelous.
Whoa... This may have to be the most complete picture of the Battle of Wolf 359 that we've ever gotten. I love the detail of the Righteous disappearing in a distinctive flash of light thanks to a certain someone.
@@fastertrackcreative Because the Federation needed to learn to defeat the Borg on their own, him vanquishing them for the Federation would deny humanity a learning experience.
Don't be speechless! Share this if you want this work to be truly recognized. I'm only on facebook but this a huge statement to the powers that be there is talent here to be paid attention to.
That was on point. You even mixed in the "Star Trek Borg" game scenes in there with Q. That was just a proper attention to great level of a detail. Amazing work!
I've waited 30 years for this. I was not disappointed. Adding in Q snapping the Righteous away was brilliant. And hearing Picard scream "noooo" with the Queen behind him was powerful. Holy cow this was awesome.
Also seeing Liam Shaw As a young Engineering officer On the Uss Constance That was mention in picard season 3 And he is still stricken with PTSD From the battle of wolf 359 it's kind of like 911 for them.
@@jasongradyphstiger6179 that was also cool 👍🏼 I enjoyed the use of Hanson’s dialogue from the episode to give orders to his crew here. And seeing the additional context from “emissary” - so good
I hadn't actually noticed the nooooo....that is great detail. Watching this video show the battle in full brings a greater "realness" with Picard's breakdown in the next episode with his brother in France.
@@jasongradyphstiger6179 Which doesn't make sense considering he would have surely witness a lot more death and destruction during the dominion war than in this small battle. Dominion wars was fought between hundreds of ships at a time.
amazing editing of what was already present on various Star Trek programs and newly 'filmed' segments. not to mention the newly 'filmed' segments were awesome.
Yea this is what it would have looked like - it makes it absurd that like, Voyager could fight a cube on even footing. This is a vessel that could take on fleets of ships and shrug off their output while handing out one shots at will. I know starfleet got more serious after this, but still, one light cruiser fighting amongst cubes is... preposterous
Brutal. Definitely conveys just how devastating that battle was for Starfleet. The view of Picard shedding tears shows that beneath everything, he's still in there, fighting the good fight. Can't wait for Part 2.
In probably 18 years of being active on youtube, I've commented maybe 3 times.... But this.... This is next level. Incredible work!!! This fleshes out something all fans of TNG and all of Trek have wanted to see for 30 years!! I cannot wait for Part 2!! Well done!
The fact that you depicted the battle so well and still added in Q from the game messing with the timeline of the righteous to save the cadets father is amazing . Just a small detail but the fact that Q with his smirk just snaps his fingers .. ah yeah well done
1996, was it really that long ago? Wow, though that said I probably played it around 1999 as I seem to remember getting the first ST: Armada on that same PC World visit. @@anthony1701d
AND THIS WAS ONLY PART ONE!??!!! That was so exciting I almost soiled myself! Seriously, you are not only an outstanding vfx artist but one heck of a storyteller as well. Your use of existing footage and music is outstanding as is your grasp of the source material. I'm no massive Trekker myself but I think I can say with some degree of certainty that this is something even casual fans have wanted to see in the longest time. You've only gone and given it the justice it deserves, you bloody genius! Thank you for making this and thank you for sharing it. Now, part two please!
@@keithrees4755I don’t know. Some things are best left to the imagination. When Deep Space Nine and First Contact started doing all out fleet battles, that was cool and all. But The Next Generation tv series tended to leave more to the imagination when it came to war. Besides, most of these scenes do come from 1990s Trek in DS9 Pilot episode Emissary and Star Trek: Borg computer game.
For many years now I had hoped someone would recreate a model simulation for the battle at Wolf 359. I really loved this. I'm way too happy with this, and will not nitpick it. Thank you so much. P.S. I really am impressed with your integration of the events concerning the Star Trek Borg PC game. Back in the day I bought that for my ancient Dell desktop. I love it. Thanks again.
Wow. You did not disappoint! That was amazing! You deserve all the praise for this masterpiece! You’ve made something the fandom has wanted for years and you far exceeded our wildest dreams. Well done and enjoy your rest.
The people who appreciate this certainly do. Then again... a simple, thankful gesture can make up for what others might overlook. No one needs to realize anything. As long as they're happy that they got to watch it, does it really matter? On the other hand... if someone felt the need to be condescendingly critical of this fella's work, then I'd happily say that you were right on the money. After all... you're right. Editing is NOT easy. So many little details that can make or break the outcome. And each of those details requires a lot of thought. To make something like that look "believable"... is a pretty tall order.
I can only begin the imagine the amount of time it takes to do the models (you know which ones I'm talking about - even kitbashing takes time if you don't want them to look like, something that would fly, rather than just fly apart), let alone - well, everything else. Still, I intend to give 3D modeling another go one day, when I have time to do so!
This is so good… I honestly don’t want starship battles to look nicer than this, just clear footage of ships moving and shooting/being damaged, it’s so satisfying to watch. Thank you for this amazing project and would definitely love to see more from you!
Good god man, you’ve absolutely outdone yourself! 🔥🔥🔥🔥👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Picard’s mental scream “Nooo!” Was absolutely heartbreaking! This is so beautiful! Happy Birthday! Congratulations and thank you for all your hard work!
YES! I always thought right from the first time I saw original battle footage "that ship is surely gonna crash right into the cube!" Nice to see the explosion actually depicted.
I always thought it looked like it had to impact the cube, but they didn't have the time/money/tech to make it look good.. so satisfying to see it happen.
I am squee'ing so much right now, I've been waiting for this moment for so long. This is absolutely AWESOME and the wait was so worth it. This is the battle we should've had from Trek a long time ago.
The powering up of the D’s deflector, the Constance and the brief cameo from a younger Shaw, Q pulling the righteous out of the battle, the queen talking to Locutus. All extremely nice touches that tie in so many different things. Not to mention all the work making it in the first place great work. Nothing short of absolute witch craft.
@@PaulBeard1990 it’s part of some old Borg game that came out in the early 00’s. It has a bunch of scenes filmed for its story and they had John De Lancie play Q in it. I can’t remember its name though.
@@Lizfan2 no it’s not Legacy, completely different game. The game that had Q pulling that ship out of Wolf 359 was a PC only game, Legacy came out on the 360.
Wow. Just Wow! This is insane, the fleet variety, the wreckages brought back to life, the attention to detail. And finally we see the Excelsior class ship in the beginning crash into the cube. In the original it must have eventually happened based on trajectory and lost propulsion but we never saw it. Finally, thank you!
@@andrewnlarsen Yep, it's probably either the Endeavour or the Ahwahnee, because she was salvaged after the battle. Let's see what the next video will show us.
@@Nergalsama01 From what I saw of Ahwahnee...they pretty much had to rebuild her back up from scratch...that way they can keep to the record that 39 out of 40 ships went down at Wolf 359.
This video is absolutely extraordinary. You're spot on in calling it a massacre and not a battle. There was practically no attrition on the side of the Borg. It can scarcely be overstated how you've portrayed the sheer scale of devastation and loss, particularly with the added detail of the damage inflicted upon the Saratoga by the cutting beam as well as seeing the Borg Cube ram the Melbourne. That tear from Picard was the saddest touch because he was helpless as all his knowledge was used against his fellow officers. I have to say that was among the most breathtaking 10 minutes I've experienced on TH-cam after 30 years of on-screen snippets and head canon of the events at Wolf 359. Bravo and Happy Birthday!
ONE TINY THING ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION OF THE SARATOGA THE BORG CUTTING BEAM DIDN'T CUT THROUGH THE TOP OF THE SARATOGA'S SAUCER THE CUTTING BEAM ACTUALLY STRUCK ON THE SARATOGA'S BOTTOM PARTS BLOWING THE SARATOGA'S PLASMA RELAYS AND SISKO WAS IN FRONT OF THE COMPUTER'S BEHIND HIM THAT OTHER POOR GUY WHO WAS OPERATING BESIDES SISKO STORIL DELANEY AND THE OPS-OFFICER WAS KILLED WHEN THEIR CONSOLES EXPLODED THE TACTICAL OFFICER AND THE OTHER TWO OFFICER WHICH WHO SMASHED FLAT WHEN THE COMPUTER'S BEHIND HIM EXPLODED THE TACTICAL-OFFICER AND SISKO WERE THE ONLY SURIVORS
I never comment on any videos, but this was so good I decided to offer my sincerest gratitude and appreciation for something you created FOR FREE. This is the best Star Trek I've seen in many years. THANK YOU!
I think one of the things I like most about this is that you remembered to have the blue pulse in nearly every phaser beam, since this was at the time they were still using that particular upper-band frequency to penetrate the Borg's electromagnetic fields. This is absolutely amazing VFX work. Stunningly well done.
Not going to nitpick. What has been said has been said. This is incredibly well done. Probably the best representation of the battle of wolf 359 ever done. One of the biggest problems with later representations of the Borg in other series is that they lost that ‘force of nature’ feel. Here, they feel like their original incarnation. Brute force is useless against them.
Yeah the Borg lost their scariness factor very quick. I will say that Picard season 3 give me goosebumps with how the borg were assimilating people (being vague to avoid spoilers if you've not seen it) Its definitly worth a watch, i thought 1 and 2 were 'meh' but 3 knocked it out the park.
@@fromthedumpstertothegrave3689 I had no use for seasons 1 and 2, but 3 was the Picard all the fans wanted to see, both in reference to the series and the character. Yeah, and honestly I'm surprised the Borg didn't use that method before...then again, they had been unstoppable. Of course, once the writers realized they'd written themselves into a corner with the Borg because they could only be delayed, not stopped, they made changes to them to make them beatable.
@@Alamandorious"Yeah, and honestly I'm surprised the Borg didn't use that method before.." Well they needed a man (amophous blob creature) on the inside to make it work. There was a lot of silliness in S3 but there was so much great stuff I totally forgave it. When it got to the end and you had the Enterprise D flying round a borg cube like the millenium falcon round the death star, which is f***ng dumb, I was was so invested in the series I was just loving it, literally beaming with a smile. "I'm sensing...enjoyment?" *Camera pulls back on data grinning like a maniac*
I keep seeing people say this. I have to ask. How was Starfleet supposed to be "ready?" The Borg were an "Outside Context Problem.' Its like saying the 18th century Royal Navy was incompetent because they couldn't handle a time displaced 80s refit Iowa class Battleship!
Have to find the video of it, but it broke down the battle and tactics seemingly used and it illustrated Starfleet's problem was twofold. One their formation and approach to confronting the cube was pretty bad, making use of essentially old-fashioned firing lines, the other issue was Picard's as Locutus knowledge of the Starfleet playbook. He knew he essentially just had to hang back and let them come to him piecemeal. Starfleet here at the end of their golden age had the same problem the Jedi of Star Wars did at the start of the Clone Wars, and were used to skirmishes and not a full-scale battle against an enemy that had the intent and power to try and roll them over. So rather than coordinating the entire fleet to push against the foe as we see later on in the dominion war, they attack in waves. Which by the later stages of the battle meant the incoming waves had to fly through the built-up piles of ships that had been butchered before them limiting not only their movement but probably hitting their morale in the heat of the moment.
@benjaminbierley2074 Great explanation and a fantastic series of videos these have been. Prior to watching them, the only bits of media was DS9's "Emissary" episode and the opening segment of Star Trek: First Contact(despite it being a rematch). Would love to see that battle played out, too. Outside of this, the only other option to try and simulate this battle was playing Star Trek Legacy during the early Xbox 360/PS3 days.
He even said that the Klingons, Cardassians and Romulans were nothing compared to what was out there. We see the Romulans in TNG and they've improved their cloaking device to the point where they're practically invisible, and their starships are a bit more modern than their appearance in TOS. And Picard thinks what, that Q is exaggerating? Unfortunately, the writers were like 'well yeah, we don't want Picard to just tell Q to spill all the details.'
I have been a life long fan of the cannon Trek, worked in Hollywood, and I have to say this is very impressive if not the best accumulative telling and combining of the story surrounding Wolf 359! How you brought ALL the stories of the crews across the spectrum is beyond the best of what I seen the actual production crews create. If CBS didn't hire you on it would be their loss and a discredit to the trek community.
I've already watched this at least 20 times and I can't stop watching! Its a refreshing and in depth look into star trek that we the fans have been waiting for 30 + years!
@@remrad4315 So you admire a sociopath with unresolved trauma that in any real military would have seen him discharged, not promoted to a command position. That scene was embarrassing as a person with PTSD myself because he could not control his emotions despite being responsible for over 300 lives on that ship.
I like how this correctly illustrates Starfleet's hubris during the golden age in regards to defense. After a generation of peace they thought they were untouchable. Only sending in 3 ships at a time, watching them die and using bland predictable old man chess moves is probably exactly why everything fell apart.
like who in the right mind would allow civilians aboard a ship when they were going to engage the Borg in combat knowing full well the hazards of such an encounter? Starfleet has been responsible for so many needless deaths with their arrogance its baffling we never got episodes of mass resignations or indictments for not only starfleet but UFP failures. That's why I enjoyed Babylon 5 a bit more because it did focus a lot on the governments too.
@@carl5381 Time was also a factor. The cube was burning straight to earth. So every ship in range had to drop whatever they were doing to come join the defense. Some might've had the luxury of dropping off their civvies to a starbase, others were likely in the middle of actual nowhere without any place to send them.
It seemed silly to me at first until I realized... that's exactly how Starfleet would act in that time period. They'd not yet met the Dominion, had never fought the Borg toe-to-toe, and really only had to contend with the Romulans and the occasional Ferengi marauder. Borg countermeasures were in their infancy - more a side project than a priority, because Starfleet never imagined the Borg would arrive so soon.
I'm wondering if Starfleet launched a massive attack all at once vs. hitting the cube in waves, it would've been enough of a surprise that they could've gotten in some actual damage, if not outright stop the cube.
Ever since I saw this episode as a kid I always wanted to see something like this realized and it's awesome to see it it's awesome how you put everything together with Picard and Shaw and Cisco and everything . Good storytelling good graphics got to see a bunch of awesome ships we never knew about very cool, it takes a true Star Trek lover to make truth Star Trek keep it up.
I love the revision to the damage the _Saratoga_ took. In the _DS9_ Premiere they show the ship getting hit in the lowest part of the saucer even though the dialogue says decks 1 through 4. The damage in this vid is far more accurate. And then the extra stuff added--other pods and some shuttles--during the escape of the Siskos was brilliant! Fantastic job bringing this epic battle to life!
@@andysahs1599 Yes, I know, that's my point. In the effects shot in the episode, the ship didn't get hit on deck 1, but the dialogue says it did. This video corrects where we see the ship getting hit.
I'd imagine there were budgetary constraints in the production of _Emissary_ that prevented them from portaying damage on the Miranda-class model but I agree with you completely. The explosion looked like the cutting beam ignited EPS relays at and around the site of the direct hit so you'd think an obscene and devastating amount of damage was done to the Sarataoga.
Avery Brookes is such a great actor. it's heart breaking everytime I see that scene where they leave Jen behind. quality Star Trek through out. must have been so much work to piece all this together into a full timeline of the Battle of Wolf 359. I've seen the actual Wolf 359 star at an observatory I'm lucky enough to volunteer at & I get goosebumps everytime I see it's eerie bronze hue or hear it mentioned. to fans Wolf 359 will always be one of the darkest days for the Federation.
I was pretty bummed out during Picard WHEN THEY GO BACK IN TIME TO SANFRANCISCO and Avery Brooks doesnt even get a slight cameo or even a nod...terrible writers.
@@NICKRITZERCirroc Lifton (Jake Sisko) said a while back that Brooks was blacklisted after he got upset at a powerful executive who thought he was Samuel L. Jackson. He would like to act, even in Star Trek, but he can't get an agent. Probably the best hope is if Alex Kurtzman can pull the strings he said he was looking at. He certainly has enough clout these days.
And you can hear Captain Halloway on the Melbourne giving the orders to Open fire. And that’s the Same Halloway in command of the Enterprise-D in that timeline where picard never lost his heart and was a Researcher on the Enterprise-D … So Yeah, Halloway is very much Dead in the Canon time.
That was amazing, such work and effort gone into that, I liked the inclusion of Star Trek Borg, with Q pulling the ship out of time, Ensign Liam Shaw, in that moment that would solidify him in his career until his reintroduction to Picard. Absolutely Epic. Happy Birthday as well.
To the crews of the 40 your sacrifice will never be forgotten and now a new generation will finally see one of the most tragic engagements of the federation. This was incredible! I have never been so impressed by fan work until today. You are a true hero to Trek!
I was so engrossed you almost had me forgetting I was watching a fan film and not an actual silver age Star Trek episode. That was truly amazing. A battle we have been deprived of for longer than I’ve lived brought to life by you. I’ve never been so glad I’ve subbed to a channel. Can’t wait to see more. And the little details like the disappearing Righteous and the bronzed out deflector dish on the Enterprise are just the cherry on top. And getting that extra split second to see the Melbourne get rammed by the cube. Amazing. Best Star Trek fan creation ever.
Hearing Picard's internal battle with Locutus... Excellent use of the NOOOOOOO! From "Sarek". At least I think that's where it's from (or it's the one from First Contact?). Adds so much to his breakdown in "Family" and First Contact... All of this was already known, but you articulated it PERFECTLY. Riker: How much do you remember? Picard: ...... Everything
Tying in the USS Righteous footage alongside Sisko's Saratoga scene is a master stroke...good job there🎖 Never knew that initial Excelsior-class crashed into the Cube after being torn to shreds, horrible fate...still gives me chills seeing in such much detail That last part though...Hanson and Picard knew each other so well😢
This is fantastic! First off the VFX battle sequences are amazing, also the end while Picard's turmoil as Hansons ship was destroyed with the tear made me almost cry!
I like how Star Trek Borg footage is also used in here, props for that. Also, I can’t get over how Admiral Hansan’s ship looks basically like just the stardrive section of a Galaxy Class starship
This is outstanding work - truly a labor of love and dedication by real Star Trek fans. The Battle of Wolf 359 needed its story to be completed, and you guys have expertly woven it together from familiar sources. Very much anticipating Part 2.
I'm 46 years old and I still remember seeing the aftermath of this infamous battle for the first time. This excellent piece of work has completed the battle for me so thank you...
This was brilliant, I like how clips from ST:TNG, DS9 and the game ST: Borg were all interwoven with other footage to help flesh out the story. This adds more context to what happened in the battle of Wolf 359. I look forward to the next episode, well done and happy birthday!
JTVFX - Happy Birthday and Glory to your house! Part one of a total 'Masterpiece'. I can't say anything other than that... I see why you took your time on this. I love all of the little tie-ins, all of it was absolutely amazing. I don't know what else to say. Been following your work for a while--and your attention to detail is amazing. I can't wait for the next part! Congrats on this one my friend! Update - your efforts were mentioned on TrekCulture's Retro Ups and Downs. So your work is not only appreciated by all of us - it is also recognized by others. You should be most proud of the work you have done. Thank you again for sharing this with all of us. For Real, you sure you don't work for Paramount? If not, you really should!
This. Is. INCREDIBLE. I’ve watched this so many times. Incredible work; this is easily on par with studio level stuff. The way you’ve incorporated TNG effects like the engine sounds + TNG music is just perfection. Well done
My only gripe is I can't hit the Like button more than once! This was so far beyond awesome! I loved all the little bits: Q's cameo, Shaw's story and Picard screaming. All masterfully done!
I know everyone is going to comment on how amazing your plotting and CG work is, but I just want to point out I've never seen clips from "Emissary" look this great and I don't remember any of the battle showing up in What We Left Behind. Very nice!
This could be a movie in itself, with the ties to DS9, PICARD and FIRST CONTACT--Finally we see the battle and it is glorious! Thank you, JTVFX--It was worth the wait!
I was so upset when TNG had the Enterprise out of this battle. They arrive after the battle was over and all you see is wrecked ships and floating debris. I had been wanting a fleet battle for some time, and I felt that I had been cheated big time. Thankfully, DS9 more than made up for it by having huge fleet actions in the last 2 seasons with the Dominion War. Massive battles involving multiple races and hundreds of ships. Epic.
I'm speechless. You did an incredible job worthy of the highest praise. You are a true fan and indispensable to the many thousands of Trek fans out there who lack the skills you have to make our dreams a reality. Thank you and keep making amazing content!
This is so impressive, I love that you've retained the classic 4x3 ratio as well, makes it feel even more like an original part of Star Trek's on-screen history.
Wow. Best of Both Worlds was my first episode of TNG. It's what got me hooked on Star Trek. Even after all the massive, horrific battles in DS9, Wolf 359 was always still a "Massacre". This is without a doubt the best rendering I've ever seen of it. What a tale you've told here.
This is awesome work. Could you do a video about the Borg Battle during the Star Trek First Contact film? Supposedly that battle lasted for days, and Starfleet put up an even bigger fight to stop the Borg cube. You would have a lot of potential to add in your 3d models to extend the battle. Again, great work.
The First Contact battle is interesting. Apparently, it was a running battle where Starfleet would attack, pull back, attack again later, pull back, etc. This happened over the course of several days across several lightyears of space. These lightning strikes slowed the Borg down, but, obviously didn’t stop them.
I didn't know that battle lasted for days although it does sorta make sense considering how far away the Enterprise-E was at the time. Even at maximum warp it would have taken them a while to get back to Earth. And it's probably not much of a stretch to say the Borg Queen WANTED the Enterprise to be there.
Picard being forced to destroy a Constellation class like the Stargazer he commanded for 20 years, and then a Galaxy class stardrive shows why he had a tear in his eye. That was brutal. Was that meant to be Shaw at one point?
That was absolutely breathtaking. How you added Shaw and the mental anguish. Also how you had it the borg queen! Wow, if I was shaw, heck I don't even know if I could forgive Picard either! This was phenomenal!
Agree on Sisko and Shaw having a hard time forgiving Picard. They were there in battle!! They survived, but with PTSD and survival guilt! Not easy to “ sit down with an enemy “ and act like it’s all good! On a related note, it’s like M’Benga and The Captain Edison of the USS Franklin in the reboot! M’Benga was in battle with the Klingons, and Edison against Romulans and Xindi. Then StarFleet expects them to as Edison said “sit down and break bread with the enemy”. M’Benga told it best to Pike… you weren’t there so you have the luxury to say forgive and forget! Edison told Kirk as much and Kirks reply was similar to Pike. Even today people who have had to fight and suffer from PTSD are told to forgive, forget and move on!! It’s just not that easy!! I guess I rambled on a bit! Sorry!
I have one question about the battle. Was the Federation caugth off guard by the Borgs? I always had the impression this was an organised defence, but there is also the presence of civilians, including childrens, in that battle.
@@florians9949yeah they scrambled what ships they could to Wolf 359 when they determined the cube was headed for earth. The Borg were still largely unknown at this point and there hadn’t been contact with them since Q flung the Enterprise to unexplored space where the Borg were first encountered.
@@MathewWoodard So you’re telling me the Federation though it was a good idea to bring non combatants into a warzone? No wonder they got their asses kicked.
This is fantastic work. Over 20 years ago I remember playing, over and over again, the little low-quality Quicktime clip of Wolf 359 from "Emissary" included with the Star Trek Omnipedia, taking stills from it. It's amazing to reflect that one person with a lot of talent and patience can now make better VFX than we wowed over back then. You've also really recaptured the sense of implacable strength that the Borg induced terror at this time, with all the ships hammering away and not breaking through, before being swatted out of the sky by 'weapons' clearly intended to just be means of capturing and slicing up ships for assimilation, because the Borg don't think in terms as human as 'war'. Great work, and we look forward to the rest.
Another reply…. The Look of Admiral Hanson at 7:42 and 9:25 are fricken breath taking and haunting!!! OMG!!! The look he gives at 7:42 is heartbreaking!!! He knows it’s all but over!!!! I can not over emphasize how , to me anyway, emotionally charged those two scenes are!!! While the starship battle scenes will get great and well deserved kudos… those two scenes that show Hansons emotions are absolutely amazing!! And well done!!!
Yup, Picard was still fully aware of his surroundings and a part of his mind was still resisting the Borg assimilation. Sadly that part of his mind could only watch in horror as he was forced to massacre his friends and comrades.
@@blastermasterguy and then, when he's back on earth talking to his brother, he just _breaks down_ I think that episode was when we ever saw Picard actually cry for the first time.
@@TheGuardianofAzarath JP Hansen was like Admiral Karel Doormen at the battle of java sea he went down with the flagship - the Japanese sunk Dutch flagship as others escaped
This is the absolute most canon account of what we didn’t get to see. You are hereby promoted to fleet admiral for your efforts and service in this video 🖖
I don’t what to say! This is a fantastic addition to the history of the battle at Wolf 359! It’s woven together so damn well! Can’t wait for Part 2! WOW! 😎🖖🏾
Excellent job! I've waited 33 years to see this battle finally played out on screen - can't wait to see part 2. Thank you!! 🖖 In your depiction, Admiral Hanson should have been relieved of duty due to his sheer incompetence, before the first 12 Star Fleet ships were neutralized, given the way he stupidly squandered resources. It became obvious very early on that the only chance the Star Fleet vessels had was a swarming attack from all sides utilizing all ships at once. Any group of small kids who has ever taken on a single larger stronger bully knows the only chance they have to win is to swarm the larger stronger bully from all sides all at once and hope to knock him off his feet, get him down on the ground and overwhelm him. Then run like hell. Good things! 👍
@@SKINWALKER The Enterprise -B and the Lakota model is the original USS Excelsior studio model for the USS Excelsior in Flashback they made new model for Excelsior on this model the warp engines glow in some scenes they don't because they reused stock footage from Star Trek 6 . but later in DS9 they used Flash back model again but they CGI different names on it .
This is absolute perfection. The vfx fit 100% to TNGs look. If someone would have told me that is unused footage from the 90s, I would have believed it without any hesitation. Superb job, I love it
This is a wonderful work done with love for the franchise. It's stupendously superior to all the junk that CBS has thrown at us over the last 15 years. Thank you very much a thousand times!
Hello everyone,
Today (release day) September 20th is also my birthday. I waited on releasing this until today as a gift for myself and to the fans who have waited so long to see what this battle could have looked like back in the day. I sincerely hope you enjoyed watching this video as much as I enjoyed making it!
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*Q&A for Massacre Part I*
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*Table of Contents:*
- Story Questions
- Nitpicks
- Technical Questions
- Trivia
- Hanson's Fleet Manifest
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*Story questions:*
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*1) When will part 2 be released?*
Right now, no ETA. I've been working continuously over the summer producing part 1 of the massacre. I'm taking some time off to relax and looking into getting into this field professionally. I'll post an update on part 2 when I know more.
*2) What will part 2 be about?*
Part 2 will focus on wraping up the battle and will feature minor characters that were involved at Wolf 359 that were referenced in later Star Trek (namely Voyager).
Characters include:
- Captain Amasov of the USS Endeavour (who will take command of the fleet)
- Riley Frazier, science officer of the USS Roosevelt (from "Unity")
- Laura Heimbold, captain (not sure of what ship yet) (from "Unimatrix Zero")
- Marianne Bergan, captain of a civilian transport which warps in system (from "Infinite Regress")
*(Note: Some characters may not appear on screen but instead referenced in either text or dialoug)*
It will also attempt to answer how these characters end up in the Delta Quadrant and how the Queen survives(?)
*3) What happened to the Righteous?*
Instead of directly following the ST:Borgs ending(s), I reimagined the Righteous' fate so that it appeared as though it would meet a similar fate as the other ships, only for it to be rescued by "Q" (who was off-screen until the last second). This was done in order to maintain the pacing as well as the drama of the battle unfolding.
*4) What was Hanson's tactic?*
The idea behind Hanson's tactic was that attack wings would be cycled in and out of battle to keep continuous fire on the cube while giving the wings previously in combat a chance to repair any damage sustained before being cycled into battle again. This would go on until the fleet wore down the cubes defenses. Then all ships would swarm in for the kill.
At least in theory anyway. In practice, however, it was a disaster. One that Hanson could have mitigated from the start had he simply called off the attack.
Thus, it was my intention to depict Hanson as being a liability for Starfleet during the battle. I based him on the "crazy/corrupt admiral" theme used throughout TNG (i.e. Admiral Mark Jameson, Admiral Pressman, Admiral Satie, etc.) Only with Hanson, he's not so much "crazy" or "corrupt", as he is "complacent" and "stubborn" as well as inexperienced against a *real* threat like the Borg.
Hanson foolishly believed that tactics employed against adversaries like the Cardassians or Tzenkethi would work against the Borg as well. Unfortunately, this made him not only unwilling to call off the attack early on (despite the losses) but he doubled down, sending in one attack wing after another. It wasn't until after the destruction of "attack wing five" where Hanson changes tactics. This time, he sends in two wings which would flank the cube together in an attempt of confuse the cube. This would give an opening for Hanson's battle group to begin it's frontal assault.
And his plan actually worked! If only for a moment. He was successful in not only confusing the cube but his assault damaged the cube as well (not visually -- but internally, specifically the cubes power grid was weakened by the heavy onslaught from the retuned phasers and torpedoes. See: nitpicks section).
It was only when the cube returned fire and quickly destroyed Hanson's ships one by one that he realized his mistake and called for the retreat. But it was too little too late.
*5) Why didn't the background ships participate during Hanson's assault?*
Attack wings eight through twelve were acting as reserve units for Hanson's assault. Basically, if Hanson's attack was successful, those wings would be called in to provide additional fire. However, things changed quickly and with the cube disrupting comms there was no time/way to call in the reserves until it was too late. So Hanson was forced to flee.
*6) Picard's scream/Locutus' tear...*
It's based on the end of BOBW Part II, where Picard breaks through the Borg's collective consciousness and makes contact with Data. I wanted to show that Picard was there resisting during the whole ordeal at Wolf 359. But he was resisting the hardest during the Hanson's withdraw (what was left of his mind was screaming "NO!") forcing Locutus to briefly hesitate. It was only because of the Queen's interference that Picard lost the struggle and Locutus regained control and attacked -- destroying his old friend, thus the tear in Locutus' eye.
*7) Where are the ships going in the final shot?*
All remaining ships are complying with Hanson's withdraw order and are falling back to "Position Omega" which is near the edge of the Wolf system. Part 2 will delve into that more.
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*Nitpicks:*
---------------------------------
*1) Hanson's ship is supposed to be...*
I chose to disregard certain elements in the episode alluding to Hanson's association to the Melbourne (or other ship/s) and the "red alert display" on his bridge in favor of the script -- which establishes that Hanson is on a Galaxy during the battle. For my depiction, the "TMP style" red alert display is a "quirk" for this particular ship.
*1A) Why is Hanson's Galaxy separated?*
Couple of reasons:
A - While building the prelude to the battle, I wanted to differentiate Hanson's ship from the Enterprise at a glance so that you knew that wasn't the Enterprise. Yes, seeing a whole Galaxy surrounded by other ships might make it obvious, but it also made it easier to tell the story directly from the battle bridge without explaining why.
B - I wanted to depict Probert's original intent for separation -- meaning leave the saucer and the civilians behind at Starbase 324 while the stardrive confronted the threat. Also, I wanted to show that the stardrive can hold its own just fine without the "extra power" from the saucers impulse engines.
*2) Excelsior-class Melbourne/Roma wasn't hit by a shield drain weapon...*
I wanted to provide an explaination as to why the Roma was taken out so quickly compared to the USS Righteous who's shields withstood several "projectile" hits during its assault. I felt that using only the tractor beam to drain the shields would have drained them *far* too fast compared to the supposedly weaker Saratoga.
*2A) The Borg shield drain weapon didn't look like that...*
Artistic license. I changed its appearance to reflect a more powerful version compared to "Q Who" and to differentiate it from the disruptor-like projectile.
*2B) The Borg shield drain weapon was only fired at warp...*
I wanted to show that this wasn't strictly a long range weapon to be used only at warp speed, but can be used at sublight at close range as well.
*2C) Excelsior-class Melbourne/Roma didn't collide with the cube...*
In the episode "Emissary" it was implied that it "could" have collided with the cube. The Roma was pulled in close enough to the cube to fall into its shadow and for it's hull fires to reflect on the cube's hull before the camera cuts away. With the speed both vessels were moving it's unlikely a collision could have been avoided. So I depicted it.
*2D) Shouldn't the cube be damaged from the collision?*
Unlike Data and Worf's shuttle which managed to penetrate the cube's electromagnetic field thanks to a distraction from the Enterprise. The Borg were aware of the Roma's proximity and adjusted the cube's electromagnetic field to protect it from the impact. In my depiction, this field has made the cube (almost) invulnerable during the battle. Meaning, even if most of the fleet collided with the cube, it would have remained largely undamaged.
*3) Minor power fluctuations?*
In my depiction of Wolf 359, I wanted to show that despite the cube adapting to the retuned phasers -- Hanson's full-on assault (which lasted longer than the Enterprise's deflector attack) demenstrated the most fleeting glimpse that the cube *can* be weakened by brute force in numbers. Only Hanson didn't have enough ships, the weaponary or the time necessary to inflict anything more than "minor power fluctuations" before being destroyed himself.
*3A) Why didn't Hanson or other ships use their deflectors as weapons?*
I prefer to believe that Hanson ruled out using the deflector weapon for the battle due to its impracticality in such a chaotic environment.
*Nitpicks, Technical questions, Trivia and Hanson's fleet manifest in next comment below:*
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*Q&A for Massacre Part I (continued)*
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*Nitpicks (continued):*
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*4) Shaw's beard...*
I attempted several times to remove shaws beard digitally. However, the results were less than stellar. So I decided to just darken it and remove the sides. Besides, I wanted people to recognize him at a glance anyway.
As far as regluations, the only canon element remotely close that I can find is Thomas Riker. While he had seniority as a Lieutenant, he was still a junior officer like Shaw and subject to similar regulations. However, he was allowed to keep his beard on the Enterprise (and presumably the Gandhi) with out seemingly any repercussions.
*5) Starship chatter...*
Instead of just showing ships flying around getting blown up, I wanted to humanize the battle by including "limited" starship chatter. I'm also using a new service that has improved ai speech sythensis compared to what I was using before so I wanted to put them to work.
---------------------------------
*Technical questions:*
---------------------------------
*1) What software did you use?*
I used Blender for the animation, rendering and compositing.
*2) How long did it take to make this?*
- Preludes Part 1 and 2, Feburary 2022 - June 2023
- Massacre Part 1, October 2022 - September 19th 2023
- Massacre Part 2, April 2023 - work still ongoing (likely early to mid 2024)
- Aftermath - work hasn't begun yet (likely mid to late 2024)
Since Feburary of 2022 this entire project will likely take 2 1/2 years to complete.
*2) What ship is that?*
Please refer to "Hanson's Fleet Manifest" below. It contains ship descriptions, names/classes/registries and what attack wing they belong to.
---------------------------------
*Trivia:*
---------------------------------
*1A) Hanson's final moments*
The last shot of Hanson on his ruined bridge is based on Enabran Tain's (supposed) final moments on the bridge of his warbird from "The Die Is Cast."
*1B) Hanson's withdraw*
For Hanson's retreat and the ending shot of the escorts fleeing, I drew inspiration from the Odyssey battle from "The Jem'Hadar."
*2) Kyushu / Defiant*
As some have noted -- yes, I did base the Kyushu fighting and dodging wreckages from the Defiant in "Star Trek: First Contact." I wanted to show several popular ship classes (like the Excelsior-class Righteous) kicking ass like we've never seen before. In the case of the Kyushu, I wanted to show off her maneuverability as a frigate. Unfortunately, she isn't quite as nimble as the Defiant...
*3) Righteous uniforms*
While it couldn't be helped, I like to think that the crew of the Righteous were selected to be part of a "pilot program" --- testing and giving feedback on very early verisons of the uniforms that came to be used on DS9 several years later.
*4) Federation-class USS Star League*
At one point I wasn't going to use it because I felt the concept of Starfleet still using an old dreadnought was silly. But I was running out of ship designs to use so I said "screw it." The only rule I had was it absolutely had to be of the refit configuration not the TOS config.
*Anyway, minor backstory:*
After the signing of the Khitomer Accords in 2293, Starfleet was forced to disband it's dreadnought type starships. However, instead of simply scrapping them, Starfleet chose to change the mission profile of the class by changing the emphasis from tactical systems and more towards transport and scientific duty. The USS Star League herself gained 10 new science labs (replacing the armory's and stratiegic operations center) and an enhanced sensor suite which improved long range resolution by almost 12 percent. An enhanced automation center was installed based on the still-new Excelsior-class which reduced operating costs and the overall crew compliment by nearly half.
Unfortunately, the Star League's service life after the signing of the Khitomer-Accords was unremarkable. Instead of being sent on missions utilizing her new scientific capabilities, she was instead used for transport duty. In fact, she almost never ventured out of the core systems of the Federation since, typically only operating between Sol and Vulcan. Her furthest reach, post-Khitomer, was a transport run to Starbase 12.
By 2366, the Star League was the last of her class still in service. By that time, the computer core had been refit to "relatively" modern standards. Due to the high level of automation, her crew compliment had been reduced from nearly 600 personale in 2293 to only 50 personale by 2366. Thanks to her reliablity over the decades, Starfleet allowed the Star League to remain in service almost forgotten about... until the day the call came in.
On stardate 43998.3, the Star League was on a transport run between Sol and Andoria when she was contacted by Starfleet and ordered to Wolf 359 as part of Admiral Hanson's fleet. The Star League arrived in the Wolf system on stardate 43999.1, she was the earliest ship to arrive on station. Later while organizing the fleet, Admiral Hanson assigned the Star League to "attack wing seven" along with the USS Leonov and the USS Constance.
At 0805 hours on stardate 44002.33, the Star League was destroyed by a combination of cutting beams and disruptor hits which destroyed much of her saucer section and badly damaged the secondary hull. Out of a crew of 50, only 12 survivors from the Star League were recovered in the aftermath of the massacre.
Later, during an examination by the S.C.E on stardate 44013.6, it was discovered that many of her systems were "ripped out" by force along with residual Borg signatures in the wreckage. She was deemed unsalvagable and later transported to the Surplus Depot Z15 in orbit of Qualor II on stardate 44247.3 where she is slated to be scrapped.
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*Hanson's Fleet Manifest*
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*Battle Group Hanson*
USS Auriga - NCC-71797 - Galaxy-class (Stardrive)
USS Kadosca - NCC-1994-C - Narendra-class (Probert's original Ambassador)
USS Princeton - NCC-59804 - Niagara-class
USS Champlin - NCC-53914 - Pegasus-class (Ambassador era Nebula-class)
USS Agincourt - NCC-1813 - Constitution II-class Type-2 (Cargo docks in saucer, sideways nacelles)
USS Liberator - NCC-67016 - New Orleans-class
USS Firebrand - NCC-68723 - Freedom-class
*Attack Wing 1*
USS Bellerophon - NCC-62048 - Nebula-class
USS Yamaguchi - NCC-26510 - Ambassador-class
*Attack Wing 2*
USS Roma (Melbourne) - NCC-62451 (NCC-62043) - Excelsior-class Type-1
USS Saratoga - NCC-31911 - Miranda-class Type-3 (Outboard sensor pods)
*Attack Wing 3*
USS Melbourne - NCC-62043-A - Nebula-class (Long range prototype)
USS Tolstoy - NCC-62095 - Rigel-class
USS Kyushu - NCC-65491 - New Orleans-class
USS Righteous - NCC-42451 - Excelsior-class Type-1
*Attack Wing 4*
USS Chekov - NCC-57302 - Springfield-class
USS Gage - NCC-11672 - Apollo-class
USS Bonestell - NCC-31600 - Oberth-class
*Attack Wing 5*
USS Buran - NCC-57580 - Challenger-class
USS Taurus - NCC-25127 - Excelsior-class Type-5 (similar to Curry-class only with all Excelsior parts)
USS Pisces - NCC-16113 - Stingray-class (Constitution variant, Centaur-like scout)
*Attack Wing 6*
USS Tyrargo - NCC-29456 - Esmeralda-class (Ambassador variant with 4 nacelles)
USS Hoagland - NCC-31842 - Miranda-class Type-1
USS Torrens - NCC-28348 - Trent-class (small Ambassador era scout)
*Attack Wing 7*
USS Constance - NCC-10367 - Constellation-class
USS Star League - NCC-2101 - Federation-class Refit
USS Leonov - NCC-20104 - Excelsior-class Type-3 (Based on early prototype design)
*Attack Wing 8*
USS Ahwahnee - NCC-71620 - Cheyenne-class
USS Montoro - NCC-69721 - Diomos-class (Galaxy era cruiser)
USS Demeter - NCC-26295 - Miranda-class Type-1
*Attack Wing 9*
USS Endeavour - NCC-71805 - Nebula-class
USS Trent - NCC-27017 - Trent-class (small Ambassador era scout)
USS Monarch - NCC-29995 - Renaissance-class (Ambassador era medium cruiser)
*Attack Wing 10*
USS Anesidora - NCC-26680 - Ambassador-class
USS Roosevelt - NCC-2573 - Excelsior-class Type-2 (Enterprise-B Type)
USS Pulsar - NCC-10508 - Constellation-class
*Attack Wing 11*
USS Columbia - NCC-37402 - Excelsior-class Type-1
USS Paris - NCC-20818 - Excelsior-class Type-4 (Four nacelle variant)
*Attack Wing 12*
USS Yorktown - NCC-61137 - Zodiac-class (Nebula variant, upswept nacelles, phasers only)
USS Rutherford - NCC-18353 - Miranda-class Type-4 (No rollbar, but phaser cannons remain)
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Bravo! Bravo! Also, Happy Birthday! 😀
Dam Fine work bravo bravo
Excellent work, and Happy Birthday :)
It really shows the loses that Starfleet suffered and the echoing of the Borg Queen saying "Locutus" was great.
Hearing Picard's mind screaming "Noooo!" and seeing a tear run down his face made me shiver.
The pain, fear and dread he must've felt for all the people who died and could die on Earth...
It just shows how determined his will was as a Borg Drone and how mentally strong in the time after
The biggest compliment I can pay is that I now consider this a canonical account of Wolf 359
I could not aggree more, like this is everything I hoped for, the details. Even the nod to the Star trek borg game made me have the biggest shit eating grin. This is Canon .
@@stargazerblue186 But it's not cannon, it's just Picard having a Nexus fantasy. He never left the Nexus (it is NOT a time travel device) so no Next Gen movie or tv show should be thought of as cannon.
amen!
1000% agree!
@@Folker46590Remember that these are all just the mad ramblings of a black sci-fi writer from the 60's trying to tell a story about a "Deep Space Nine"
The bit of Picard tearing up in response to the destroyed fleet was perfect.
The total destruction of his friend Admiral Hansen's ship put him over the edge. The Queen knew it would.
if the enterprise-d made it on time during the battle, would that have made any difference?
@@randomrazr No. They would have been destroyed also. What enabled them to win was Riker's plan and Data.
You can hear Picard scream nooooo. Just before Hanson's ship is destroyed.
Yeah that part gets me cause it makes me think of the episode Family where Picard breaks down about how much he tried to fight them from taking everything he was.
This is amazing. Very nice work!
VERY cool 🤓
High praise coming from the guys at RLM. Rich and Mike seem pretty picky about their Trek.
Holy shit.
Glad you guys got to see this, it's a perfect capturing of the aesthetic and design of the classic era that only proves it can still work well in modern times!
Would love to see you guys do a short video review about this.
This is THE definitive account of the Battle at Wolf 359. Bravo!
I've been waiting 30+ years to see this most dramatic of canon events a full and proper treatment, and I'm blown away. The research, passion dedication shine through. If you have a Patreon, please share it and I'll be happy to contribute, even if future projects are not Trek-related. Thanks and keep up the great work! Oh, and Happy Birthday, except that you have given us the best gift of all!
Fracking Awesome. And just think, one transphasic torpedo would end that cube.
@@brianashmore6635 a little BSG there
concur.
Clearly you’ve never seen DS9.
Agreed!
As tragic as this was it actually saved the Federation. This loss provided the catalyst for Starfleet to relook at ship design, and led to the production of more powerful ships such as the Sovereign class, Defiant, Akira and Steamrunner. Without these ships the Dominion War would have been lost.
And kick the weeklings out of power
But it's not cannon, it's just Picard having a Nexus fantasy. He never left the Nexus (it is NOT a time travel device) so no Next Gen movie or tv show should be thought of as cannon.
@@Folker46590No next gen movie or tv show should be thought of as canon? Get the F outta here. They are canon whether you like it or not. DS9 and Voyager are some of the best of Star Trek. Amd First Contact is still one of the best Star Trek movies
@@youtubeistryingtocensorme They are not cannon to me. Star Trek is dead anyway, poor writing and constantly changing lore ruined it.
I was just explaining to the window lickers why Picard is still in the Nexus, so anything with him in it is him having a fantasy. A true reboot would admit that and disavow everything post Generations.
@@Folker46590 The world might not be round to you either, but it still is...
Fantastic work. The music, the cinematography, the incorporation of so many different angles of the battle. And that mental scream from Picard just before destroying the Admiral's ship? Goosebumps.
Marvelous. Just...marvelous.
Whoa... This may have to be the most complete picture of the Battle of Wolf 359 that we've ever gotten. I love the detail of the Righteous disappearing in a distinctive flash of light thanks to a certain someone.
And as far as Starfleet is concerned, "Righteous" was hit by an unknown Borg weapon and vaporized. ;)
Give this guy the recognition he deserves and repost the video if you think others should see it.
Was he actually involved? Why didn't he delete the Borg?
@@fastertrackcreative Because the Federation needed to learn to defeat the Borg on their own, him vanquishing them for the Federation would deny humanity a learning experience.
is that from the vhs tape thing?
Dude, i‘m speechless. An absolute masterpiece! How you even show Jean-Luc‘s tear of being absolut helpless against this massacre!!
Don't be speechless! Share this if you want this work to be truly recognized. I'm only on facebook but this a huge statement to the powers that be there is talent here to be paid attention to.
That was on point. You even mixed in the "Star Trek Borg" game scenes in there with Q. That was just a proper attention to great level of a detail. Amazing work!
I've waited 30 years for this.
I was not disappointed.
Adding in Q snapping the Righteous away was brilliant.
And hearing Picard scream "noooo" with the Queen behind him was powerful.
Holy cow this was awesome.
Also seeing Liam Shaw As a young Engineering officer On the Uss Constance That was mention in picard season 3 And he is still stricken with PTSD From the battle of wolf 359 it's kind of like 911 for them.
@@jasongradyphstiger6179 that was also cool 👍🏼 I enjoyed the use of Hanson’s dialogue from the episode to give orders to his crew here. And seeing the additional context from “emissary” - so good
I hadn't actually noticed the nooooo....that is great detail.
Watching this video show the battle in full brings a greater "realness" with Picard's breakdown in the next episode with his brother in France.
@@TheCormTubeand later, his anger displayed in First Contact in front of Lily Sloane.
@@jasongradyphstiger6179 Which doesn't make sense considering he would have surely witness a lot more death and destruction during the dominion war than in this small battle.
Dominion wars was fought between hundreds of ships at a time.
I am HONORED to see my old Rigel-class model in here! Amazing work. This absolutely nails the visual style of TNG. It feels absolutely authentic!
She’s a beautiful ship!
It’s about time we’ve seen the battle itself - and you’ve done a miraculous job bringing it to life. Well done, JT!
Make this explode! post on social media.
Ditto on that one. I would have loved to have seen this battle during the time the series was broadcast. Great Job! 😊
amazing editing of what was already present on various Star Trek programs and newly 'filmed' segments. not to mention the newly 'filmed' segments were awesome.
Indeed!
What he SAID.!!....Superb Job INDEED!!!
I've imagined this battle for the last few decades, and you've really captured the last stand feel and the chaos I envisioned... amazing work!
Incredible. The destruction of some of the ships is terrifying. I felt a bit stunned after watching it. Much gravity.
Yea this is what it would have looked like - it makes it absurd that like, Voyager could fight a cube on even footing. This is a vessel that could take on fleets of ships and shrug off their output while handing out one shots at will. I know starfleet got more serious after this, but still, one light cruiser fighting amongst cubes is... preposterous
Holy crap, that was well done! Loved the inclusion of Shaw! Also love the seamless integration of the Star Trek: Borg scenes.
Brutal. Definitely conveys just how devastating that battle was for Starfleet.
The view of Picard shedding tears shows that beneath everything, he's still in there, fighting the good fight. Can't wait for Part 2.
After 30 replays, I finally noticed the Sneaky Curry at 5:36.
well done
Wtf is a sneaky curry?
In probably 18 years of being active on youtube, I've commented maybe 3 times.... But this.... This is next level. Incredible work!!! This fleshes out something all fans of TNG and all of Trek have wanted to see for 30 years!! I cannot wait for Part 2!! Well done!
press x.....
The fact that you depicted the battle so well and still added in Q from the game messing with the timeline of the righteous to save the cadets father is amazing . Just a small detail but the fact that Q with his smirk just snaps his fingers .. ah yeah well done
i'm clearly out of the loop of trek for too long. I didnt understand this bit. What was it all about?
Look up the 1996 computer game called Star Trek: Borg, and you'll see what we're all talking about.
1996, was it really that long ago? Wow, though that said I probably played it around 1999 as I seem to remember getting the first ST: Armada on that same PC World visit. @@anthony1701d
@@anthony1701d yep great game ! And also just because happy b lated Star Trek day fellow treks and trekkers !
@@anthony1701d God bless you my man, and God bless Star Trek fans.
AND THIS WAS ONLY PART ONE!??!!!
That was so exciting I almost soiled myself!
Seriously, you are not only an outstanding vfx artist but one heck of a storyteller as well. Your use of existing footage and music is outstanding as is your grasp of the source material. I'm no massive Trekker myself but I think I can say with some degree of certainty that this is something even casual fans have wanted to see in the longest time. You've only gone and given it the justice it deserves, you bloody genius!
Thank you for making this and thank you for sharing it.
Now, part two please!
this is what star trek should have been in the 90's but like the old saying goes better late then never at all
@@keithrees4755I don’t know. Some things are best left to the imagination. When Deep Space Nine and First Contact started doing all out fleet battles, that was cool and all. But The Next Generation tv series tended to leave more to the imagination when it came to war. Besides, most of these scenes do come from 1990s Trek in DS9 Pilot episode Emissary and Star Trek: Borg computer game.
@@classicgunstoday1972 some parts was not everything besides i thought it was a good idea
Yes I agree 👍
YEAH DO IT PLEASE!
For many years now I had hoped someone would recreate a model simulation for the battle at Wolf 359. I really loved this. I'm way too happy with this, and will not nitpick it. Thank you so much. P.S. I really am impressed with your integration of the events concerning the Star Trek Borg PC game. Back in the day I bought that for my ancient Dell desktop. I love it. Thanks again.
Wow. You did not disappoint! That was amazing! You deserve all the praise for this masterpiece!
You’ve made something the fandom has wanted for years and you far exceeded our wildest dreams.
Well done and enjoy your rest.
I used to do these 20years ago. People don't realize how much time and effort goes into making something like this. Well done!
The people who appreciate this certainly do. Then again... a simple, thankful gesture can make up for what others might overlook. No one needs to realize anything. As long as they're happy that they got to watch it, does it really matter?
On the other hand... if someone felt the need to be condescendingly critical of this fella's work, then I'd happily say that you were right on the money. After all... you're right. Editing is NOT easy. So many little details that can make or break the outcome. And each of those details requires a lot of thought. To make something like that look "believable"... is a pretty tall order.
Work like yours inspires generations of kids :)
I can only begin the imagine the amount of time it takes to do the models (you know which ones I'm talking about - even kitbashing takes time if you don't want them to look like, something that would fly, rather than just fly apart), let alone - well, everything else.
Still, I intend to give 3D modeling another go one day, when I have time to do so!
Especially when it's studio quality. I can't tell the difference. When I saw this at first I thought I missed an episode of TNG
I think I recall watching some of them back in the day. Which one(s) did you release? The Star Trek vs Star Wars space battle?
This is so good… I honestly don’t want starship battles to look nicer than this, just clear footage of ships moving and shooting/being damaged, it’s so satisfying to watch. Thank you for this amazing project and would definitely love to see more from you!
This is THE most incredible thing I have ever seen. It fills in all the Gaps. I've been waiting since my childhood of the 1990s for this!!!!!!!!!
Good god man, you’ve absolutely outdone yourself! 🔥🔥🔥🔥👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Picard’s mental scream “Nooo!” Was absolutely heartbreaking!
This is so beautiful!
Happy Birthday! Congratulations and thank you for all your hard work!
Now we know why he say" He will make them pay for what they done. And Picard did that at the end of Picard Session 3 so the lost Souls can rest.
POOR FELLA
This is fucking incredible, seeing that Excelsior class ship just crash into the cube was insane.
It was cool to see that apparent VFX gaff in TNG thrown in.
I saw that and was like Yup. That's exactly what wasn't in the original.
YES! I always thought right from the first time I saw original battle footage "that ship is surely gonna crash right into the cube!" Nice to see the explosion actually depicted.
I always thought it looked like it had to impact the cube, but they didn't have the time/money/tech to make it look good.. so satisfying to see it happen.
Yeah that wasn't realistic though - should have taken out a quarter of the cube at least.
I am squee'ing so much right now, I've been waiting for this moment for so long. This is absolutely AWESOME and the wait was so worth it. This is the battle we should've had from Trek a long time ago.
The powering up of the D’s deflector, the Constance and the brief cameo from a younger Shaw, Q pulling the righteous out of the battle, the queen talking to Locutus. All extremely nice touches that tie in so many different things. Not to mention all the work making it in the first place great work. Nothing short of absolute witch craft.
Why did Q pull that ship out of the battle ?
@@PaulBeard1990 it’s part of some old Borg game that came out in the early 00’s. It has a bunch of scenes filmed for its story and they had John De Lancie play Q in it. I can’t remember its name though.
@@monkeylovers Star Trek Legacy
@@Lizfan2 no it’s not Legacy, completely different game. The game that had Q pulling that ship out of Wolf 359 was a PC only game, Legacy came out on the 360.
@@monkeylovers Oh. The scene is on TH-cam and I could have sworn it said the scene was from Legacy.
Wow. Just Wow! This is insane, the fleet variety, the wreckages brought back to life, the attention to detail. And finally we see the Excelsior class ship in the beginning crash into the cube. In the original it must have eventually happened based on trajectory and lost propulsion but we never saw it. Finally, thank you!
Exactly. No USS Copy & Paste like Picard.
Wouldn’t it be funny if the cube had used its tractor beam to -scoot- the excelsior class ship to the side to avoid colliding?
Watching the cube really cut loose near the end when the whole fleet was attacking was chilling. Such amazing work. Thank you!
That part was outstanding!👌🏾
I had a few 'shiver down the spine' moments! (In a good way!)
A very very good homage to the 18 June 1990 ❤
Hearing the captain of the Endeavour order the fleet to fall back is honestly heartbreaking. Amazing work.
All ships are destroyed....😂😂
@@simonvollmer2725 All but one.
@@Nergalsama01 I think it was Edeavour was the only ship that survived that hell.
@@andrewnlarsen Yep, it's probably either the Endeavour or the Ahwahnee, because she was salvaged after the battle. Let's see what the next video will show us.
@@Nergalsama01 From what I saw of Ahwahnee...they pretty much had to rebuild her back up from scratch...that way they can keep to the record that 39 out of 40 ships went down at Wolf 359.
The details are simply incredible, adding in scenes from DS9 and Star Trek Borg, especially with Q click, was a delight to see :)
This video is absolutely extraordinary. You're spot on in calling it a massacre and not a battle. There was practically no attrition on the side of the Borg.
It can scarcely be overstated how you've portrayed the sheer scale of devastation and loss, particularly with the added detail of the damage inflicted upon the Saratoga by the cutting beam as well as seeing the Borg Cube ram the Melbourne.
That tear from Picard was the saddest touch because he was helpless as all his knowledge was used against his fellow officers.
I have to say that was among the most breathtaking 10 minutes I've experienced on TH-cam after 30 years of on-screen snippets and head canon of the events at Wolf 359. Bravo and Happy Birthday!
ONE TINY THING ABOUT THE DESTRUCTION OF THE SARATOGA THE BORG CUTTING BEAM DIDN'T CUT THROUGH THE TOP OF THE SARATOGA'S SAUCER THE CUTTING BEAM ACTUALLY STRUCK ON THE SARATOGA'S BOTTOM PARTS BLOWING THE SARATOGA'S PLASMA RELAYS AND SISKO WAS IN FRONT OF THE COMPUTER'S BEHIND HIM THAT OTHER POOR GUY WHO WAS OPERATING BESIDES SISKO STORIL DELANEY AND THE OPS-OFFICER WAS KILLED WHEN THEIR CONSOLES EXPLODED THE TACTICAL OFFICER AND THE OTHER TWO OFFICER WHICH WHO SMASHED FLAT WHEN THE COMPUTER'S BEHIND HIM EXPLODED THE TACTICAL-OFFICER AND SISKO WERE THE ONLY SURIVORS
I never comment on any videos, but this was so good I decided to offer my sincerest gratitude and appreciation for something you created FOR FREE. This is the best Star Trek I've seen in many years. THANK YOU!
I think one of the things I like most about this is that you remembered to have the blue pulse in nearly every phaser beam, since this was at the time they were still using that particular upper-band frequency to penetrate the Borg's electromagnetic fields. This is absolutely amazing VFX work. Stunningly well done.
Even into its seventh month. This video still hits with the force of a semi truck hitting a brick wall at a hundred miles an hour.
Not going to nitpick. What has been said has been said.
This is incredibly well done. Probably the best representation of the battle of wolf 359 ever done.
One of the biggest problems with later representations of the Borg in other series is that they lost that ‘force of nature’ feel.
Here, they feel like their original incarnation. Brute force is useless against them.
Yeah the Borg lost their scariness factor very quick. I will say that Picard season 3 give me goosebumps with how the borg were assimilating people (being vague to avoid spoilers if you've not seen it) Its definitly worth a watch, i thought 1 and 2 were 'meh' but 3 knocked it out the park.
@@fromthedumpstertothegrave3689 I had no use for seasons 1 and 2, but 3 was the Picard all the fans wanted to see, both in reference to the series and the character.
Yeah, and honestly I'm surprised the Borg didn't use that method before...then again, they had been unstoppable.
Of course, once the writers realized they'd written themselves into a corner with the Borg because they could only be delayed, not stopped, they made changes to them to make them beatable.
@@Alamandorious"Yeah, and honestly I'm surprised the Borg didn't use that method before.." Well they needed a man (amophous blob creature) on the inside to make it work.
There was a lot of silliness in S3 but there was so much great stuff I totally forgave it. When it got to the end and you had the Enterprise D flying round a borg cube like the millenium falcon round the death star, which is f***ng dumb, I was was so invested in the series I was just loving it, literally beaming with a smile.
"I'm sensing...enjoyment?"
*Camera pulls back on data grinning like a maniac*
That was amazing, and left me with chills and goosebumps. Back then, before Voyager, the Borg were truly a menace to be feared. Amazing work.
Fantastic job on this..
Seeing just how shockingly unprepared starfleet was at this point is heart wrenching..
Q was right, they weren't ready.
I keep seeing people say this. I have to ask. How was Starfleet supposed to be "ready?" The Borg were an "Outside Context Problem.' Its like saying the 18th century Royal Navy was incompetent because they couldn't handle a time displaced 80s refit Iowa class Battleship!
@@jimmyjohnjames6397 At what point did I say they were incompetent..?
Go attempt to start a debate elsewhere...
Have to find the video of it, but it broke down the battle and tactics seemingly used and it illustrated Starfleet's problem was twofold. One their formation and approach to confronting the cube was pretty bad, making use of essentially old-fashioned firing lines, the other issue was Picard's as Locutus knowledge of the Starfleet playbook. He knew he essentially just had to hang back and let them come to him piecemeal.
Starfleet here at the end of their golden age had the same problem the Jedi of Star Wars did at the start of the Clone Wars, and were used to skirmishes and not a full-scale battle against an enemy that had the intent and power to try and roll them over. So rather than coordinating the entire fleet to push against the foe as we see later on in the dominion war, they attack in waves. Which by the later stages of the battle meant the incoming waves had to fly through the built-up piles of ships that had been butchered before them limiting not only their movement but probably hitting their morale in the heat of the moment.
@benjaminbierley2074 Great explanation and a fantastic series of videos these have been. Prior to watching them, the only bits of media was DS9's "Emissary" episode and the opening segment of Star Trek: First Contact(despite it being a rematch). Would love to see that battle played out, too. Outside of this, the only other option to try and simulate this battle was playing Star Trek Legacy during the early Xbox 360/PS3 days.
He even said that the Klingons, Cardassians and Romulans were nothing compared to what was out there. We see the Romulans in TNG and they've improved their cloaking device to the point where they're practically invisible, and their starships are a bit more modern than their appearance in TOS. And Picard thinks what, that Q is exaggerating? Unfortunately, the writers were like 'well yeah, we don't want Picard to just tell Q to spill all the details.'
I have been a life long fan of the cannon Trek, worked in Hollywood, and I have to say this is very impressive if not the best accumulative telling and combining of the story surrounding Wolf 359! How you brought ALL the stories of the crews across the spectrum is beyond the best of what I seen the actual production crews create. If CBS didn't hire you on it would be their loss and a discredit to the trek community.
I've already watched this at least 20 times and I can't stop watching! Its a refreshing and in depth look into star trek that we the fans have been waiting for 30 + years!
Hell yea, brother!
Fallen Hero's of Wolf 359!
I've watched at least 50 times.
Wow, this was single handely the best Trek we have received in two decades. Very well done, astonishing!!
Not better than Picard Season III, but pretty darn good.
@@CYCO1631 Picard Season 3 is ok. It just seems good simply because the franchise has been dire for so long.....
@@CYCO1631 this is better because it HASN'T BEEN POLLUTED by Picard season 1 and 2 lol AND still painstakingly follows canon. Hehe
Captain Shaw is the best Star Trek character since Garek nobody will change my mind.
@@remrad4315 So you admire a sociopath with unresolved trauma that in any real military would have seen him discharged, not promoted to a command position. That scene was embarrassing as a person with PTSD myself because he could not control his emotions despite being responsible for over 300 lives on that ship.
I like how this correctly illustrates Starfleet's hubris during the golden age in regards to defense. After a generation of peace they thought they were untouchable. Only sending in 3 ships at a time, watching them die and using bland predictable old man chess moves is probably exactly why everything fell apart.
"The wind does not respect a fool."
- Klingon proverb
like who in the right mind would allow civilians aboard a ship when they were going to engage the Borg in combat knowing full well the hazards of such an encounter? Starfleet has been responsible for so many needless deaths with their arrogance its baffling we never got episodes of mass resignations or indictments for not only starfleet but UFP failures. That's why I enjoyed Babylon 5 a bit more because it did focus a lot on the governments too.
@@carl5381
Time was also a factor. The cube was burning straight to earth. So every ship in range had to drop whatever they were doing to come join the defense. Some might've had the luxury of dropping off their civvies to a starbase, others were likely in the middle of actual nowhere without any place to send them.
It seemed silly to me at first until I realized... that's exactly how Starfleet would act in that time period. They'd not yet met the Dominion, had never fought the Borg toe-to-toe, and really only had to contend with the Romulans and the occasional Ferengi marauder. Borg countermeasures were in their infancy - more a side project than a priority, because Starfleet never imagined the Borg would arrive so soon.
I'm wondering if Starfleet launched a massive attack all at once vs. hitting the cube in waves, it would've been enough of a surprise that they could've gotten in some actual damage, if not outright stop the cube.
Ever since I saw this episode as a kid I always wanted to see something like this realized and it's awesome to see it it's awesome how you put everything together with Picard and Shaw and Cisco and everything . Good storytelling good graphics got to see a bunch of awesome ships we never knew about very cool, it takes a true Star Trek lover to make truth Star Trek keep it up.
I love the revision to the damage the _Saratoga_ took. In the _DS9_ Premiere they show the ship getting hit in the lowest part of the saucer even though the dialogue says decks 1 through 4. The damage in this vid is far more accurate. And then the extra stuff added--other pods and some shuttles--during the escape of the Siskos was brilliant! Fantastic job bringing this epic battle to life!
Deck A or Deck 1 is always the bridge of a Federation Starship .
@@andysahs1599 Yes, I know, that's my point. In the effects shot in the episode, the ship didn't get hit on deck 1, but the dialogue says it did. This video corrects where we see the ship getting hit.
I'd imagine there were budgetary constraints in the production of _Emissary_ that prevented them from portaying damage on the Miranda-class model but I agree with you completely. The explosion looked like the cutting beam ignited EPS relays at and around the site of the direct hit so you'd think an obscene and devastating amount of damage was done to the Sarataoga.
Avery Brookes is such a great actor. it's heart breaking everytime I see that scene where they leave Jen behind.
quality Star Trek through out.
must have been so much work to piece all this together into a full timeline of the Battle of Wolf 359.
I've seen the actual Wolf 359 star at an observatory I'm lucky enough to volunteer at & I get goosebumps everytime I see it's eerie bronze hue or hear it mentioned.
to fans Wolf 359 will always be one of the darkest days for the Federation.
I was pretty bummed out during Picard WHEN THEY GO BACK IN TIME TO SANFRANCISCO and Avery Brooks doesnt even get a slight cameo or even a nod...terrible writers.
@@NICKRITZERCirroc Lifton (Jake Sisko) said a while back that Brooks was blacklisted after he got upset at a powerful executive who thought he was Samuel L. Jackson. He would like to act, even in Star Trek, but he can't get an agent.
Probably the best hope is if Alex Kurtzman can pull the strings he said he was looking at. He certainly has enough clout these days.
Seeing the next wave of ships at 2:20 closing in in a futile attempt to save Sisko and his crew is heartbreaking...
¡Yes! They facing the death
They died warriors deaths. If they were Klingon, they'd definitely earn their place in StoVoKor.
The charge of the light brigade. Only in space.
And you can hear Captain Halloway on the Melbourne giving the orders to Open fire.
And that’s the Same Halloway in command of the Enterprise-D in that timeline where picard never lost his heart and was a Researcher on the Enterprise-D … So Yeah, Halloway is very much Dead in the Canon time.
@@Kreachie Good catch!
I like how you added Captain Shaw so people can see why he was pissed off at Picard in the last season of Picard. Pardon the grammar. =P
That was amazing, such work and effort gone into that, I liked the inclusion of Star Trek Borg, with Q pulling the ship out of time, Ensign Liam Shaw, in that moment that would solidify him in his career until his reintroduction to Picard. Absolutely Epic. Happy Birthday as well.
To the crews of the 40 your sacrifice will never be forgotten and now a new generation will finally see one of the most tragic engagements of the federation. This was incredible! I have never been so impressed by fan work until today. You are a true hero to Trek!
2 weeks later and I still cant stop watching this
Same here. It Like Halo Reach. You know how the Story End but wish you can Save them and Do something
I've watched this about 100 times and it never gets old! Thank you for giving us the best showing of Wolf 359 I've ever seen!
I was so engrossed you almost had me forgetting I was watching a fan film and not an actual silver age Star Trek episode. That was truly amazing. A battle we have been deprived of for longer than I’ve lived brought to life by you. I’ve never been so glad I’ve subbed to a channel. Can’t wait to see more. And the little details like the disappearing Righteous and the bronzed out deflector dish on the Enterprise are just the cherry on top. And getting that extra split second to see the Melbourne get rammed by the cube. Amazing. Best Star Trek fan creation ever.
Hearing Picard's internal battle with Locutus... Excellent use of the NOOOOOOO! From "Sarek". At least I think that's where it's from (or it's the one from First Contact?). Adds so much to his breakdown in "Family" and First Contact... All of this was already known, but you articulated it PERFECTLY.
Riker: How much do you remember?
Picard: ...... Everything
Tying in the USS Righteous footage alongside Sisko's Saratoga scene is a master stroke...good job there🎖
Never knew that initial Excelsior-class crashed into the Cube after being torn to shreds, horrible fate...still gives me chills seeing in such much detail
That last part though...Hanson and Picard knew each other so well😢
It was never shown on TV so JTVFX's speculation makes the most sense (the Borg cube is a bus, concerned about any bugs hitting the front grill)
Jeeez... I assumed that footage was some bad fan footage... The fact it was from an actual licensed game is... Something...
I too have been waiting decades for this. Thank you for bringing it to life.
This is fantastic! First off the VFX battle sequences are amazing, also the end while Picard's turmoil as Hansons ship was destroyed with the tear made me almost cry!
7:50 love that little detail of getting the deflector back online
How do I like this a hundred times over? This is incredible work and vision
I like how Star Trek Borg footage is also used in here, props for that.
Also, I can’t get over how Admiral Hansan’s ship looks basically like just the stardrive section of a Galaxy Class starship
Because it is the stardrive section of a Galaxy class ship.. The saucer can separate you know?
It was the stardrive section of a Galaxy Class Starship
@@alvinhorhn6524I was the saucer
If you watch the prelude videos, you will see why it's only the stardrive.
@@christianriddler5063 Yes, I’m well aware, but normally the Galaxy class usually has the saucer attached to the ship.
This is outstanding work - truly a labor of love and dedication by real Star Trek fans. The Battle of Wolf 359 needed its story to be completed, and you guys have expertly woven it together from familiar sources. Very much anticipating Part 2.
I'm 46 years old and I still remember seeing the aftermath of this infamous battle for the first time.
This excellent piece of work has completed the battle for me so thank you...
This was brilliant, I like how clips from ST:TNG, DS9 and the game ST: Borg were all interwoven with other footage to help flesh out the story. This adds more context to what happened in the battle of Wolf 359. I look forward to the next episode, well done and happy birthday!
1:08 I know EXACTLY where you pulled that dialogue line from and I love it.
I JUST got it. I thought it was AI at first but then I thought about it!
@@Username3141519so where is it from lol
I believe it's from a game, Star Trek Armada
JTVFX - Happy Birthday and Glory to your house!
Part one of a total 'Masterpiece'. I can't say anything other than that... I see why you took your time on this. I love all of the little tie-ins, all of it was absolutely amazing. I don't know what else to say. Been following your work for a while--and your attention to detail is amazing. I can't wait for the next part! Congrats on this one my friend! Update - your efforts were mentioned on TrekCulture's Retro Ups and Downs. So your work is not only appreciated by all of us - it is also recognized by others. You should be most proud of the work you have done. Thank you again for sharing this with all of us. For Real, you sure you don't work for Paramount? If not, you really should!
日本のスタートレックファンです。
見させていただきましたが、とても凄かったです。
ロキュータスになってしまったピカードの苦悩。
「Star Trek BORG」を無かったことにせず正史に組み込んで全体に反映してくれたことや、ベンジャミン・シスコが乗艦していたUSSサラトガが撃沈される前後で何が起きていたのか、などなど。
何というか、欠けていたピースが全てハマったような感じです。
DS9の第1話で描かれたウォルフ359の戦いは、子供の頃に見た時は（もしかしたら不謹慎に思われるかもしれませんが）戦い自体は恐ろしくも、何故か儚くて綺麗な光景に見えました。
大人になるにつれてあの光景に感じるものが変化していきましたが、今回の動画で、まるで10歳の頃に戻ったような気分になりました。
I've seen several try to splice this battle together... no one has EVER done as a good a job as you.
Congratulations. Downright wonderful.
This. Is. INCREDIBLE. I’ve watched this so many times. Incredible work; this is easily on par with studio level stuff. The way you’ve incorporated TNG effects like the engine sounds + TNG music is just perfection. Well done
My only gripe is I can't hit the Like button more than once! This was so far beyond awesome! I loved all the little bits: Q's cameo, Shaw's story and Picard screaming. All masterfully done!
I know everyone is going to comment on how amazing your plotting and CG work is, but I just want to point out I've never seen clips from "Emissary" look this great and I don't remember any of the battle showing up in What We Left Behind. Very nice!
This could be a movie in itself, with the ties to DS9, PICARD and FIRST CONTACT--Finally we see the battle and it is glorious! Thank you, JTVFX--It was worth the wait!
I was so upset when TNG had the Enterprise out of this battle. They arrive after the battle was over and all you see is wrecked ships and floating debris.
I had been wanting a fleet battle for some time, and I felt that I had been cheated big time.
Thankfully, DS9 more than made up for it by having huge fleet actions in the last 2 seasons with the Dominion War.
Massive battles involving multiple races and hundreds of ships. Epic.
I'm speechless. You did an incredible job worthy of the highest praise. You are a true fan and indispensable to the many thousands of Trek fans out there who lack the skills you have to make our dreams a reality. Thank you and keep making amazing content!
This is so impressive, I love that you've retained the classic 4x3 ratio as well, makes it feel even more like an original part of Star Trek's on-screen history.
The way you integrated all these clips and made it look good is nothing short of amazing. Fantastic work!
Great job, great editing. Can't wait for part 2!! 😁
Wow. Best of Both Worlds was my first episode of TNG. It's what got me hooked on Star Trek. Even after all the massive, horrific battles in DS9, Wolf 359 was always still a "Massacre". This is without a doubt the best rendering I've ever seen of it. What a tale you've told here.
This is awesome work. Could you do a video about the Borg Battle during the Star Trek First Contact film? Supposedly that battle lasted for days, and Starfleet put up an even bigger fight to stop the Borg cube. You would have a lot of potential to add in your 3d models to extend the battle. Again, great work.
The First Contact battle is interesting. Apparently, it was a running battle where Starfleet would attack, pull back, attack again later, pull back, etc. This happened over the course of several days across several lightyears of space. These lightning strikes slowed the Borg down, but, obviously didn’t stop them.
I didn't know that battle lasted for days although it does sorta make sense considering how far away the Enterprise-E was at the time. Even at maximum warp it would have taken them a while to get back to Earth. And it's probably not much of a stretch to say the Borg Queen WANTED the Enterprise to be there.
This is a great idea!
GOOD THINKING!
Picard being forced to destroy a Constellation class like the Stargazer he commanded for 20 years, and then a Galaxy class stardrive shows why he had a tear in his eye. That was brutal.
Was that meant to be Shaw at one point?
Yes.
I believe the tear was meant to signify that he was forced to destroy the flagship and kill his friend Admiral Hanson, the battlegroup commander.
I think the ship that Shaw served on was USS Constance and the ship shown at 6:36 is that ship .
GOD HELP HIS SOUL
Sure was, you could even hear his superior officer yelling at him to "move it!"
Such an exquisit use of the 'Star Trek Borg', such a delight to see someone else taking it to heart!
That was absolutely breathtaking. How you added Shaw and the mental anguish. Also how you had it the borg queen! Wow, if I was shaw, heck I don't even know if I could forgive Picard either! This was phenomenal!
Sisko could barely hold his rage the first time he saw Picard after too…I can’t blame them. And Picard doesn’t either.
Agree on Sisko and Shaw having a hard time forgiving Picard. They were there in battle!! They survived, but with PTSD and survival guilt! Not easy to “ sit down with an enemy “ and act like it’s all good!
On a related note, it’s like M’Benga and The Captain Edison of the USS Franklin in the reboot! M’Benga was in battle with the Klingons, and Edison against Romulans and Xindi. Then StarFleet expects them to as Edison said “sit down and break bread with the enemy”. M’Benga told it best to Pike… you weren’t there so you have the luxury to say forgive and forget! Edison told Kirk as much and Kirks reply was similar to Pike.
Even today people who have had to fight and suffer from PTSD are told to forgive, forget and move on!! It’s just not that easy!!
I guess I rambled on a bit! Sorry!
I have one question about the battle. Was the Federation caugth off guard by the Borgs? I always had the impression this was an organised defence, but there is also the presence of civilians, including childrens, in that battle.
@@florians9949yeah they scrambled what ships they could to Wolf 359 when they determined the cube was headed for earth. The Borg were still largely unknown at this point and there hadn’t been contact with them since Q flung the Enterprise to unexplored space where the Borg were first encountered.
@@MathewWoodard So you’re telling me the Federation though it was a good idea to bring non combatants into a warzone? No wonder they got their asses kicked.
This is fantastic work. Over 20 years ago I remember playing, over and over again, the little low-quality Quicktime clip of Wolf 359 from "Emissary" included with the Star Trek Omnipedia, taking stills from it. It's amazing to reflect that one person with a lot of talent and patience can now make better VFX than we wowed over back then. You've also really recaptured the sense of implacable strength that the Borg induced terror at this time, with all the ships hammering away and not breaking through, before being swatted out of the sky by 'weapons' clearly intended to just be means of capturing and slicing up ships for assimilation, because the Borg don't think in terms as human as 'war'. Great work, and we look forward to the rest.
Absolutely amazing! I have waited three decades to watch the Battle of Wolf359. Can't wait to watch the next part.
This is a work of art. Beautiful!
Another reply…. The Look of Admiral Hanson at 7:42 and 9:25 are fricken breath taking and haunting!!! OMG!!!
The look he gives at 7:42 is heartbreaking!!! He knows it’s all but over!!!! I can not over emphasize how , to me anyway, emotionally charged those two scenes are!!! While the starship battle scenes will get great and well deserved kudos… those two scenes that show Hansons emotions are absolutely amazing!! And well done!!!
Once again fans produce something far better than anything Paramount can produce. Well done and Happy Birthday!
Hearing Picard scream "NOOOOOOOO!!!!" when the Borg Queen locked onto the Admiral's ship and destroyed it is chilling
Yup, Picard was still fully aware of his surroundings and a part of his mind was still resisting the Borg assimilation. Sadly that part of his mind could only watch in horror as he was forced to massacre his friends and comrades.
Riker asked Picard after the Borg ship was destroyed '' How much do you remember ''? Picard says ''everything'' .
@@blastermasterguy and then, when he's back on earth talking to his brother, he just _breaks down_ I think that episode was when we ever saw Picard actually cry for the first time.
@@TheGuardianofAzarath JP Hansen was like Admiral Karel Doormen at the battle of java sea he went down with the flagship - the Japanese sunk Dutch flagship as others escaped
@TheGuardianofAzarath maybe the most underrated episode in TNG. "Family".
This is the absolute most canon account of what we didn’t get to see. You are hereby promoted to fleet admiral for your efforts and service in this video 🖖
I don’t what to say! This is a fantastic addition to the history of the battle at Wolf 359! It’s woven together so damn well! Can’t wait for Part 2! WOW! 😎🖖🏾
Outstanding. This was the greatest instance of Trek in 30 years.
Excellent job! I've waited 33 years to see this battle finally played out on screen - can't wait to see part 2. Thank you!! 🖖
In your depiction, Admiral Hanson should have been relieved of duty due to his sheer incompetence, before the first 12 Star Fleet ships were neutralized, given the way he stupidly squandered resources. It became obvious very early on that the only chance the Star Fleet vessels had was a swarming attack from all sides utilizing all ships at once.
Any group of small kids who has ever taken on a single larger stronger bully knows the only chance they have to win is to swarm the larger stronger bully from all sides all at once and hope to knock him off his feet, get him down on the ground and overwhelm him. Then run like hell.
Good things! 👍
Really good, i noticed you put Tod Stashwick in there from Picard season three. Good one because he made references to Picard about it.❤
Amazing work! Congratulations!!! After 30 years, we can finally watch the Battle of Wolf 359! 🖖🖖🖖🖖
0:53 That touch of the excelsior class ship smashing into the cube was incredible. Never understood why DS9 didn’t do this!
Budget was the reason because they used non cgi models here CGI is being used .
It would have been expensive in '92.
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The refit for later uses for USS Enterprise B and USS Lakota as the series continued.
@@SKINWALKER The Enterprise -B and the Lakota model is the original USS Excelsior studio model for the USS Excelsior in Flashback they made new model for Excelsior on this model the warp engines glow in some scenes they don't because they reused stock footage from Star Trek 6 . but later in DS9 they used Flash back model again but they CGI different names on it .
@@andysahs1599 point proven.
This is absolute perfection. The vfx fit 100% to TNGs look. If someone would have told me that is unused footage from the 90s, I would have believed it without any hesitation. Superb job, I love it
This is a wonderful work done with love for the franchise. It's stupendously superior to all the junk that CBS has thrown at us over the last 15 years. Thank you very much a thousand times!