Back when I was a kid the only place I could buy Star Trek action figures was Zellers (a Canadian department store now bought out by Target). I really wanted Voyager action figures, specifically Captain Janeway, but the only one they ever got in was “Mutated Tom Paris”:
Yes, they made an action figure of Paris in the infamously bad Voyager episode “Threshold”. It’s also possible to find action figures of such seemingly random characters like: “Translucent Geordi La Forge as a Tarchannen III Alien”, Shinzon’s Viceroy from Star Trek: Nemesis, Riker disguised as a Malcorian from “First Contact”, and a raft of alien men who appeared in no more than one episode each (Esoqq, Dathon, etc.).
As far as I’m concerned, with action figures, the more the merrier! But I was looking at the lists of what figures have been made (full credit to my friend Jonathan for getting me interested) and seeing all these odd choices made me really notice the gaps.
We did get a few awesome action figures of women supporting or guest-starring characters, like K’Ehleyr (who came with a badass spiked glove), Nurse Ogawa, B’Elanna as a full Klingon (from “Faces”), and Lwaxana Troi. But there were also some really significant ones left out.
So without further ado…
The Top 10 Star Trek Women Characters That Still Need Their Own Action Figures:
10. Captain Philippa Louvois (“The Measure of a Man”, TNG)
I am not ashamed to admit that I want a woman action figure who can go toe to toe with my Picard action figure, and tell him he is a “pompous ass..and a damn sexy man.”
9. Lal (“The Offspring”, TNG)
Lore and Noonian Soong have their own action figures, so why not bring us another step closer to a family reunion and give us Lal? Besides, which of us hasn’t imagined what would’ve happened if “The Offspring” had a happier ending?
8. Dr. Gillian Taylor (Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home)
The Mutated Tom Paris action figure comes with three little lizard-y things. Action Figure Gillian Taylor could come with whales! And a pizza! You could take her back in time with your Spock and Kirk action figures and rescue more endangered species! Or if they made her in her 23rd century jumpsuit you could have her come on more wacky missions!
If the excitement sounds less than sincere, I assure you, it’s not.
7. Dr. Leah Brahms (“Galaxy’s Child”, TNG)
I like the idea of more women scientist action figures. Let us not forget Leah Brahms basically designed the Enterprise-D’s warp drive. I would, however, suggest Action Figure Leah Brahms never be forced to apologize to Action Figure Geordi – her grumpiness to him is not nearly as bad as his creepiness to her.
6. Dr. Carol Marcus (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan)
Wrath of Khan Carol Marcus is super-smart, principled and brave. Besides, who wouldn’t want to be able to more accurately reenact, arguably, the best Trek movie of all time?
5. Commander Shelby (“The Best of Both Worlds”, TNG)
Shelby was a great Trek character, coming in totally confident and challenging Riker to reevaluate his career and command style. She, of course, learns her own lessons along the way. At the end you have total respect for her knowledge and strength, tempered with new humility. I sure wouldn’t want to leave her off my team if I was battling the Borg. And there are plenty of Borg action figures out there.
4. Q (“The Q and the Grey”, Voyager)
Keep in mind there are at least four John de Lancie-as-Q action figures out there, including one with a spring-loaded fencing mechanism. We clearly need an omnipotent woman as well.
I would go for an Amanda Rogers action figure too, but the Q portrayed by Suzie Plakson in Voyager is up on my list because she could bring the sassy in a way pretty much no other woman character could:
Torres: You know, I have really had it with this superiority complex of yours.
Q: It’s not a complex, dear; it’s a fact.
3. Kasidy Yates (DS9)
There are a ton of recurring DS9 characters who never had action figures made. In addition to the women that make up the top of this list we never got a separate Nog (he came as a mini-figure attached to Rom), Weyoun, or Damar.
There are already so few women of colour characters in Trek. The other major ones – Uhura, Keiko, Ogawa, Torres, and Guinan – have action figures. Kasidy is a significant character and she should definitely get one too.
2. The Female Changeling (DS9)
It was really hard to pick the order for these last two. When you look at the DS9 action figures that were made, it’s like they forgot to make bad guys! Dukat is there, but other than that the characters are either good, or more annoying than dangerous (Grand Nagus Zek, Thomas Riker). Part of the fun of action figures is playing battle scenes, and a lot of them come with phasers they can carry, to help with that.
I can’t imagine Deep Space Nine without the Female Changeling, especially if you want to get into the politics and dynamics of the Dominion War. Leaving the Female Changeling out of the DS9 figures feels as nonsensical as if they had made a set of First Contact action figures that left out the Borg Queen (thankfully she’s in there).
1. Winn Adami (DS9)
Again, the DS9 collection of figures needs more antagonists. And actually, it needs more Bajorans, too. There’s Kira and Vedek Bareil, but that’s about it. Kai Winn is one of the most complex and compelling antagonists in the series. She has dramatic and conflict-filled relationships with a bunch of major characters so she always shakes things up on the station. I’m sure all the other DS9 action figures are feeling a bit complacent without her.
So that’s the end of my list, but here are the other ones that came up in my brainstorm, but that I couldn’t fit in the top 10: Ishka, the Salt Vampire, Ziyal, and Troi as a Romulan from “Face of the Enemy” (you can get Picard and Data as Romulans already).
