The Thieves of the Delta Quadrant
by Bernd Schneider and Jörg Hillebrand
PropsSets and PaintingsStock Footage
There is nothing odd about the set and prop design and the visuals of VOY: "Random Thoughts" at the first glance; they are up to the usual high standard of the series. But a closer examination comes to the perplexing result that we have seen very much of it before. There are probably more re-uses in "Random Thoughts" than in any other Trek episode. With their assets having been seized from all corners of the galaxy, the Mari are the most notorious thieves of the Delta Quadrant. ;-)
Props
Kazon console
The Mari are using a computer console that previously appeared on a Kazon ship in VOY: "Investigations".
Medical console
A medical laser console from TNG: "Samaritan Snare" too reappears on the Mari homeworld in VOY: "Random Thoughts".
Floor lamp
The Mari floor lamp with a characteristic red ring around the light source previously appeared in VOY: "Faces" and VOY: "Fair Trade".
Viewscreen
The frame of a viewscreen used by the Ktarians and more prominently by the Romulans shows up on the Mari homeworld.
PADD
The Romulan PADD from Neral's office in both parts of TNG: "Unification" can be seen on the Mari homeworld as well. The display was most likely modified for its new role though.
Polaron generator prototype
The polaron generator from VOY: "Time and Again" (at least the one that was initially built) consisted of different parts. One of them, the upper portion inside the transparent tube, appears as a resonator coil in VOY: "Random Thoughts". It later becomes an ion distributor aboard the Ares IV in "One Small Step".
Blue bottle
A blue bottle acts as a Zalkonian data storage device in TNG: "Transfigurations". The same bottle appears on a market place on the Mari homeworld in VOY: "Random Thoughts".
Head statue
This statue is composed of some round shapes on a stick, perhaps meant to roughly resemble a humanoid head. It can be seen for the first time on Rubicun III, the planet of the Edo, in TNG: "Justice". But the same statue appears on the highly advanced planet Aldea too (TNG: "When the Bough Breaks"), as well as on Gravesworld (TNG: "The Schizoid Man") and later in Data's quarters (TNG: "The Measure of a Man"). Maybe Data inherited the statue from his "grandpa" Dr. Ira Graves? The Uxbridges have the same statue in TNG: "The Survivors", as well as, of course, the notorious prop thieves on the Mari homeworld.
Tapestry
The Ventaxian homeworld in TNG: "Devil's Due" is decorated with square/diamond shapes all over, including several tapestries with this characteristic pattern. Tapestries of Ventaxian origin reappear on Romulus in TNG: "Unification II" and then on the Mari homeworld in VOY: "Random Thoughts". It doesn't exonerate them that even the Vulcans use this tapestry, as seem in ENT: "Stigma".
Uniform
The following races wear the same blue police or security uniform: the Rutians, the Vulcans, the Mari and the New Sydney authorities. The Mari emblem is not original either (see below).
Badge
The terrorists in TNG: "Starship Mine" had communicators with a stylized depiction of a reptile. This characteristic device was re-used for the Mari and later for the Ledosian badge on Star Trek Voyager.
Patch
The Sanctuary District authority in 21st century San Francisco (DS9: "Past Tense") is using a black&white emblem composed of a stylized eagle and a seven-pointed star with the city emblem. The logo was re-used for the shoulder patches of the Mari security in VOY: "Random Thoughts", now in black and red.
Currency
Some of the coins seen on the dom-jot table in TNG: "Tapestry" would later go on to make an appearance as Mari renns (the currency on their homeworld) in "Random Thoughts".
Container
A container on the Mari homeworld is labeled "exposure", which doesn't look like Mari language.
Sets and Paintings
Landscape
The exotic landscape of Risa from DS9: "Let He Who Is Without Sin" reappeared one year later in VOY: "Random Thoughts" as a view of the Mari homeworld. It becomes obvious at the first glance that the central building with its characteristic chamfered tubes, the shore with the palm trees and the bridge on the left were taken from the Risa scenery. The building with the columns in the foreground on the right is the Delmar T. Oviatt Library of California State University, Northridge.
The rest of the structures is not new either but was taken from various other episodes, including Ronara from TNG: "Preemptive Strike", the Chronowerx building from VOY: "Future's End, Part II" and Starfleet Headquarters in San Francisco from DS9: "Homefront". The building with the round tower from the latter episode can be seen at a different angle on the Mari homeworld. It is obviously a model. Some of the smaller structures on the left may have been taken from Ligon II (TNG: "Code of Honor") or Kataan (TNG: "The Inner Light"). It seems that the Mari are not satisfied re-using various small items, they have a collection of entire buildings from the Alpha Quadrant on their planet!
Window
We can see a colorful Cardassian-style window (with the colors resembling those of the Cardassian emblem) aboard Dreadnought in VOY: "Dreadnought" and in the holodeck simulation of VOY: "Nothing Human". But the Mari are very fond of Cardassian style too, just not of the colors.
Bank of America
There is a riot at a building labeled "Bank of America" on the Mari homeworld.
Stock Footage
Star Trek
The frightening dream sequences in VOY: "Random Thoughts" are naturally stock footage, more precisely from "Generations", "First Contact" and VOY: "Fair Trade".
Event Horizon
Three of the horrifying visions were originally filmed for "Event Horizon" (1997).
See Also
Re-Used Props - Stationary Consoles - viewscreens, wall- or floor-mounted consoles
Re-Used Props - Mobile Computers - desktop computers, handheld computers
Re-Used Props - Containers - cargo containers and tanks, other boxes and bottles
Re-Used Props - Decoration - decorative windows, wall art, sculptures
Re-Used Props - Badges & Jewelry - official badges and emblems, brooches and other jewelry
Re-Used Costumes - uniforms, civilian clothing
Re-Used Planet Sets - different planet surfaces that are amazingly alike
