Re-Used Make-ups
by Jörg Hillebrand and Bernd Schneider
Kobheerians & DopteriansPromelliansGarans & ToskBorg ChildrenVarious Aliens
Kobheerians & Dopterians
Dopterians and Kobheerians are two species with nearly identical make-up. Aside from some slight differences, only their noses allow a clear visual distinction of the races.
Dopterians
A Dopterian appears for the first time in DS9: "The Forsaken". In this episode a Dopterian steals Lwaxana's hair brooch. She is unable to read his mind because of the Dopterians' brain structure which is similar to that of the Ferengi. Another Dopterian who is identified as such comes into sight in TNG: "Firstborn". Finally, there is a Dopterian in DS9: "Honor Among Thieves". The script calls for an Yridian, but since the name of his race is fortunately never mentioned in the episode the make-up clearly establishes him as a Dopterian.
Kobheerians
The first Kobheerian, a woman in Quark's Bar, can be seen in DS9: "Dramatis Personae" (just one week after the first Dopterian). This Kobheerian is unlike all other members of her race because she has a lighter, possibly purplish skin color and hair on her annular lobes. The next episode DS9: "Duet" shows us the first Kobheerian in a credited role and it is the first time that the name of the race is mentioned. The Kobheerian look with a darker skin color and without hair is consistent since this episode. Kobheerians return as alien extras several times on DS9 like in "Cardassians", and they are mentioned in DS9: "Second Skin". The alleged Talarian in DS9: "Improbable Cause" (see Races with Changing Faces) is just another Kobheerian. A Kobheerian also appears in DS9: "Bar Association". The script of the episode describes a Dopterian thief who falls to the floor and spills the contents of his bag, but we actually see a Kobheerian. A "Dopterian" is not mentioned, so the visual evidence overrules the script. Finally, the Kobheerian make-up even appears in the Delta Quadrant in VOY: "Tsunkatse", although this time definitely not as a member of this race.
Make-up differences
It seems that the same mold is used for the Dopterian and the Kobheerian mask. The ears, the back of the head with the extended lobes, the cranial bones and the cheek bones are identical. Only the nose is different. Dopterians have a wide Ferengi-like nose, probably to underline that they are related to the Ferengi. In contrast, the Kobheerian nose is narrow as has two large and two small additional openings above their nostrils. Furthermore the skin color is different. Kobheerians have a pale skin, while the skin of Dopterians is much like that of the Ferengi. Finally there is the question why the make-up of the two species is so similar in the first place. We can only speculate, but Michael Westmore and his team had to create a whole lot of new species mentioned in the scripts during early DS9, and with only few time left between "The Forsaken" and "Duet" it may have been swiftly decided to alter the Dopterian make-up to create the Kobheerians. It would have been better for continuity and easier for the Art Department if the authors had simply re-used established races instead of making up new ones every week.
Promellians
The Promellians have been extinct for a thousand years according to the statements made in TNG: "Booby Trap". The Promellian make-up, however, as it could be seen on the recovered records of the Cleponji and on the bodies of crew members, lives on.
Excelsior alien
The alien crew member on the bridge of the Excelsior in "Star Trek VI" sports the very same Promellian mask with the characteristic crest, which is running almost across the whole head including the nose, the externally visible brain windings, the opening on the back of the head and the flat ears. The only minor dissimilarities are that the Promellian chin is wider and the crest on their nose more pronounced. For VOY: "Flashback" the look of the alien on the Excelsior was reconstructed, albeit with a somewhat different skin pigmentation. Anyway, the Promellians and the Excelsior alien look like much the same race. The top portion of the mask is definitely identical in both cases.
Pardshay's race
The originally Promellian make-up returns in TNG: "Tapestry", TNG: "Chain of Command, Part I" and in "Generations". See a bigger scan of a photo in the EAS gallery. It seems that the basic color of the mask is now a tad darker, and the nose is again a bit more like that of the Promellians. But curiously in the two TNG appearances as well as in early DS9 their clothing is the same greenish gown that the long-dead Promellians were wearing! The Promellian mask shows up in no less than 16 episodes of DS9, including "Captive Pursuit", "The Nagus", "Progress", "Duet" (all 1st season), "Family Business" (3rd season), "Indiscretion", "Nor the Battle to the Strong", "The Ascent", "Business as Usual" (all 5th season) and "Chrysalis" (7th season). One member of this race is once identified as "Pardshay". He belongs to Kasidy Yates's crew in DS9: "Indiscretion". Another alien wearing the Promellian prosthetics appears as a potential buyer of Quark's weapons in DS9: "Business as Usual". The slight dissimilarity of the make-up may be intentional and should be explained as scars, as the script of the episode is calling for an alien with a "disfigured face". In DS9: "Chrysalis" we finally see an obviously female member of Pardshay's race. Her head has the same characteristics as that of the men, although it looks like the ridge is taller on her mask.
In spite of the small color variations and the somewhat different noses we can take for granted that the men on the bridge of the Excelsior and the various aliens with virtually the same make-up in TNG and DS9 are the same race. Given that one member of this race was present on the Excelsior as early as 2293 and another one could be seen in the military hospital on Ajilon Prime in DS9: "Nor the Battle to the Strong", they are most likely members of the Federation. Yet, it is odd that nobody in TNG: "Booby Trap" notices the striking similarity to the extinct Promellians, unless it is commonly known that descendants of the Promellians still exist.
Algolians
The TNG Companion tells us about the alien who appears in TNG: "Chain of Command": "Also in the bar... are... and a lavender-faced alien Westmore dubbed 'Rotciv', a palindrome of the Algolian chimes musician from Season 4 [correction: actually season 3] dubbed 'Victor' ('Ménage à Troi') after the extra who's under both makeups, Victor Sein." Comparing this Algolian musician to the alien in "Chain of Command" (as well as in all the DS9 appearances), we can easily see that the Algolian make-up is different. Whilst the "brain" structure is similar and there is a crest on top of the head too, the Algolian's head is overall taller, and the nose is more pronounced and more rounded. Algolians are obviously a different species, and the only connection is that one member of each of them was played by the aforementioned Victor Sein, hence the nickname "Rotciv" for his repeated appearance.
Dream Species
The real Promellian make-up, with several modifications, was also used for the "Dream Species" in VOY: "Waking Moments". We can see that the basic structure is still the same. Additional crest pieces with spikes were attached to the top of the head as well as to the chin.
Garans & Tosk
Garans
The Garans appear in VOY: "Macrocosm" in the third season. The most obvious feature of their make-up consists of two osseous bulges running up their foreheads from above the eyeholes on either side, meeting in a protruding "horn". The Garan nose is fat with small crinkles, the lips are very clumsy and zigzag-shaped. While the Garan face exhibits uneven skin in an irregular fashion, the back of their head is entirely covered with a more or less regular checkered pattern of spikes and lower embossments, like the scales of reptilian species. We can see the make-up again, still in the third season, in VOY: "Fair Trade" and in "Unity". Here, due to the proximity of the places, it is obvious that these are intended to be Garans likewise. It takes quite a while and no less than 40,000 light years until the very same make-up makes another appearance, this time on Onquanii, the weapons trader in VOY: "Warhead". It doesn't seem likely that one member of the Garan race with its rather sturdy technology may have traveled that far on his ship.
If we look closely in VOY: "Survival Instinct", we can spot the Garan make-up once more, this time with some modifications. The skin color is now greenish. Long, pointed ears were added to the mask, as well as several sharp spikes. It is safe to say that this fellow is not supposed to be another Garan. The make-up was altered once more for the Turei in VOY: "Dragon's Teeth". Here we can see that the characteristic "horn" is still exactly the same, the mouth is still irregular, and the rest of the facial features have remained at least similar. Only that the Turei skin is overall paler. But most obviously their back of the head is different, for it is even and it exhibits some sort of double-ribbed crest like the Bolians have one.
Tosk
Speaking of the back of the head, the spike pattern looks familiar because it was re-used already for the original Garan look. It is the same as that of Tosk from DS9: "Captive Pursuit". All grooves and embossments are absolutely identical. It is understandable that Michael Westmore got back to the Tosk make-up, for which he won an Emmy. There is also a variant of the original Tosk mask. We can make out an alien with the Tosk back of the head in pink in various DS9 episodes, but unlike Tosk his face is covered with rectangular embossments too, giving his head a more homogenous look. Alas, the appearances of this alien are not limited to the Alpha Quadrant, as we can see him in VOY: "Concerning Flight" as well.
Side note The pink aliens first appeared as the "Venturi" in the non-canon game Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.
Borg Children
The five Borg children from VOY: "Collective" whose leader, "First", dies in the course of the episode, belong to four different races. We know that Icheb is Brunali, as seen in VOY: "Child's Play". Mezoti introduces herself as Norcadian in VOY: "Ashes to Ashes", even though this raises a couple of problems. The twins Rebi and Azan are Wysanti, as seen in VOY: "Imperfection". This leaves the nameless "First" to be classified. His make-up is the same as that of Gotana-Retz's race from the "Weird Planet", with a distinctive "spoon" with a thin rim above his nose. Since Voyager has passed the accelerated planet a couple of weeks earlier which had advanced technology by then, it is possible yet curious that an infant of this race has already been assimilated and spent some time in a maturation chamber as stated in "Collective".
Another young Borg emerges in VOY: "Unimatrix Zero". The boy says, "My father's ship started shaking. Men came aboard. They looked like machines. Will you help me find my father?" This is odd because his make-up looks like that of Kelis's archaic race in VOY: "Muse". They definitely don't have starships on that planet, so if we insist them to be the same species as the Borg boy, it must be a sailing ship that he talks about. But then why is he wearing modern clothes, quite unlike the rags and furs of Kelis's people?
Various Aliens
Brekkians & Ornarans
In TNG: "Symbiosis" the Ornarans are a species addicted to felicium, a drug supplied by the Brekkians. It is no surprise that the two peoples look alike considering that they inhabit neighboring star systems and may be considered to be of the same descent. The distinctive feature of the Brekkian/Ornaran race is a bulge on their nose of the size of a thumbnail. As simple as this make-up seems, no other race could be seen with it until the Tandarans in ENT: "Detained", more than twelve years after the TNG episode. The make-up is evidently the same in both cases, taking into account that there are variations already among the individuals portrayed in TNG: "Symbiosis". It may have been a nice homage to actually name the race from the Enterprise episode either Brekkians or Ornarans and to hint at the drug problem which must have been at its height during the 22nd century.
Tyrans
Dr. Farallon, the inventor of the exocomps, is mentioned to be a Tyran woman (TNG: "The Quality of Life"). Mareel, Verad's lover and aide whose home planet is said to be Khefka IV, wears the same make-up (DS9: "Invasive Procedures"). It is well possible that she is Tyran too and Khefka is a Tyran colony.
Halanans
Three species in the Star Trek Universe sport the same distinctive two-pointed ear shape: the Halanans (DS9: "Second Sight"), the Ramurans (VOY: "Unforgettable") and the "Terellians" (VOY: "Drive"). The ear prosthetics are absolutely identical in these three occurrences, and since there is otherwise no special alien make-up applied, the three races from three different corners of the galaxy look exactly the same. We may make up fictional explanations for that. But in view of the three most prominent characters wearing the double-pointed ears make-up supervisor Michael Westmore must have a deep-seated idea of how an exceptionally attractive yet mysterious alien woman has to look...
Markalians
The make-up established for the Markalians with the characteristic three shallow ridges across the bald head, the four nose holes and the many pimples around their chin was later re-used for the dockmaster of Rigel X in ENT: "Broken Bow" (albeit only in a deleted scene). The pigmentation of the dockmaster's skin is different, and it is overall somewhat smoother. At one time, in DS9: "Time's Orphan", a Markalian was identified by Sisko as a Tarkalean, but we may want to dismiss this as a slip of tongue.
Kohl
The Kohl were the extinct race whose cryogenic chambers Voyager discovered in VOY: "The Thaw". The Kohl make-up consisted of a forked bundle of wrinkles running up the forehead from the thickened root of the nose, and an additional central ridge up to the raised hairline. Essentially the same make-up was used for the Antarians in VOY: "Drive". The only difference lies in the additional spots of the Antarians. There are variations among the Antarians too. Ambassador O'Zaal's spots are on his cheeks, whereas his assistant has them on his forehead.
The Kohl make-up was also visible on extras of unnamed races on at least two occasions, in VOY: "Darkling" and, almost imperceptibly, in ENT: "Two Days and Two Nights".
Haakonians
The make-up of the Haakonian scientist Dr. Jetrel in the Voyager episode of the same name reappears as the Retellian look in ENT: "Precious Cargo". While the prosthetics are not identical, the look is essentially the same.
Vhnori
The Vhnori appeared in VOY: "Emanations" where we could see more than a few members of this race. The identifying feature of their make-up is a forehead with four large bulges, with a thin raised line running up the widened nose and two wrinkles above the eyehole. The very same make-up reappears in the DS9 episode "Prodigal Daughter". Only the hairlines of the wigs are somewhat different. On the colony New Sydney, the two police officers who investigate the case of Morica Bilby sport the Vhnori look. We never learn to which race they belong. If they are indigenous to the planet, which would explain why at least two members of this otherwise unseen race are in the planetary police authority, there would be only the problem to explain why the planet is named "New Sydney". On the other hand, it is no surprise to see all kinds of aliens in the police of this multicultural planet.
Nasari
The Nasari appeared in VOY: "Favorite Son". Their make-up returned in DS9: "Honor Among Thieves" with only slight modifications. Apparently the color was changed and small pimples or spikes were added. But the basic shape of the mask remained the same.
Vaadwaur
While their neck lobes remain a unique feature, the crest on the top of the Vaadwaur heads was re-used three times in Star Trek Voyager and Enterprise for unnamed races. The ridge on Siral's head in VOY: "Unimatrix Zero" may be somewhat smoother but is essentially the same as on the Vaadwaur, including the wrinkles on the forehead. The nose is a different one, however. The alien in ENT: "Canamar" only retains the crest and has a differently modeled forehead with strongly protruding bones. Dr. Phlox's pale blue skinned patient in ENT: "The Breach", finally, has the forehead wrinkles of the Vaadwaur again. His nose appears to be the same as of the "Canamar" alien.
Abdon's race
Abdon is an alien Starfleet member who can be seen briefly in DS9: "The Assignment". His mask includes a characteristic bulge on the back of the head. The make-up of the Kobali in VOY: "Ashes to Ashes" is very similar and the mask that was used is likely the same or at least based on Abdon's. Only the skin color is somewhat different.
See Also
Races with Changing Faces - Major Races - make-up variations of Romulans, Andorians, Tellarites, Orions, Bolians, Bajorans, Jem'Hadar
Races with Changing Faces - Other Races - Gorn, Tholians, Nausicaans, Talarians, Tarkaleans, Rigelians, Coridans, Yridians, etc.
Re-Used Make-ups in VOY: "Tsunkatse" - identification of the many races that shouldn't be in the audience
Credits
Thanks to satre for noticing that the Dream Species make-up is a re-use and to Andrew Shor for the hint about the Kobali.
Scaly Aliens @ Memory Alpha
