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What is Sulu holding in this picture?

Joe_Atari

Commander
Red Shirt
takei3.jpg


This is not a Sulu / gay question...

Way back when I remember a similar B&W shot in the old Making of Star Trek book. Ever since I've wondered what exactly that is that Sulu is holding and why. I know it's a posed publicity shot, but most of those photos have the cast holding phasers, flashlights, etc. This one's just always puzzled me. Was this a common pose back in the day?

Thanks in advance!
 
No idea, but folks, save any funny ideas for next week's caption contest, OK?

- hint, hint -
 
That is a plant from when Sulu went through his botany phase. There was a bit of a running thing for awhile in TOS about Sulu always having a new hobby. I am not sure if this is the same plant that was featured in The Man Trap (insert your "gay Sulu" joke here) or not.
 
Hey Joe Atari,

Congrats on acquiring that Star Trek MMO Computer Gaming Company, Cryptic (here is a link about it ), only kidding about you personally buying that company :).

It looks like Mr. Sulu has adopted one of Morticia Addams plants, from the tv show "The Addams Family" , circa 1964-1966. Morticia called her plant Cleopatra and fed it meatballs. Here is a picture of Morticia petting Cleopatra's star shaped head. It is not a very good picture, perhaps someone else has a better picture of the Cleopatra plant to post in this thread.

A larger version of the Cleopatra plant appears in JJ Abrams new Star Trek Trailer, here is a link to the new trailer. The creature appears at the 01:39 (01 minute and 39 seconds) point of the trailer right after Dr. McCoy says "Space is disease and danger wrapped in..." and right before Kirk says "Buckle up".


Navigator NCC-2120 USS Entente
/\
 
I was going to say "Its A Denebian Slime Devil!" It has horns!
but after reading what they supposedly look like LINK and what they can do,
When attacked, it is important to act quickly, as you will not have long before you are shredded by the devil's teeth and claws. Your best chance of escape is not to get pinned down. If you are attacked, kick, stab or phaser the animal's abdomen or thorax. Always be wary of the head, as slime devils have a powerful bite and their heads are extremely tough and can ricochet projectiles and reflect phaser fire back at the attacker. The head can also provide an opportunity for attack: if you can reach the olfactory opening and attack it, the animal will normally retreat rather than let its sensory organ be damaged.
If you are pinned down, you have limited opportunities for escape. In the few seconds you have before it strikes, you must prepare yourself in a posture to reflect the attack as best as possible, then you must attack its olfactory sensor and attempt to break off as many of its radar appendages as possible. If you succeed in escaping, get to the coast as fast as possible.
I retract that.
I'm Stumped!
 
takei3.jpg


This is not a Sulu / gay question...

Way back when I remember a similar B&W shot in the old Making of Star Trek book. Ever since I've wondered what exactly that is that Sulu is holding and why. I know it's a posed publicity shot, but most of those photos have the cast holding phasers, flashlights, etc. This one's just always puzzled me. Was this a common pose back in the day?

Thanks in advance!

I suppose he wishes it was Shatner's large intestine, considering how these two have gotten along over the years. :devil:

Anyway, always nice to see a pic of a GREEN shirt.
 
Thanks for the feedback everyone! I checked out the Sulu / garden scene from Man Trap and couldn't see any plants that looked like what's in the picture. He's obviously posed in front of that distinctive triangluar-shaped corridor doorway as were a number of other season 1 publicity shots. I'm guessing this was taken about the time of The Man Trap, and I vaguely recall a posed shot of the Salt Vampire attacking a cast member (Kirk?) in front of the same doorway, so maybe this was supposed to be another "menacing creature attack" shot. I guess Takei could have tried to appear more concerned though...
 
I always assumed it was part of a fake alien plant from the botany lab set in "The Man Trap."
 
I always assumed it was part of a fake alien plant from the botany lab set in "The Man Trap."

That seems like the best answer.

There was a bunch of hanging plants in Sulu's garden place.

Yeah, that's probably what it was. Just a section from a fake alien plant used in the botany lab scene of that episode. A part that was removed or fell off.
 
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