Captain Archer Blasts Back! Iconic Star Trek Character Returns This October

Captain Jonathan Archer, portrayed by Scott Bakula, from Star Trek: Enterprise, is making a significant return, exciting fans and expanding the Star Trek universe in new ways. His journey, marked by perils as captain of the NX-01 Enterprise in the 22nd century, led to him becoming a Starfleet legend, pivotal in uniting humanity with the Vulcans, Andorians, and Tellarites to form the United Federation of Planets, eventually serving as its first President.

Despite initial middling reviews and lower ratings that led to its cancellation after four seasons, Star Trek: Enterprise has garnered renewed appreciation from Trek fans, with Bakula himself expressing interest in reprising his role. Now, Archer is indeed back, taking center stage in a new expansion for the popular Star Trek Fluxx card game. To commemorate the franchise's 60th anniversary, Looney Labs is reissuing limited-edition reprints of its four existing Star Trek Fluxx games (based on The Original Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and Voyager), alongside a new set inspired by Star Trek: Lower Decks.

Specifically, a new Enterprise-themed expansion will shine a spotlight on Archer, delving into the show's complex Temporal Cold War plotline. This set will feature cards for key characters like Archer himself, temporal agent Daniels, and the alien Xindi. Additionally, another Enterprise-themed expansion, "The Portos Expansion," will focus on Captain Archer's loyal beagle, Portos. These new expansions, along with all of Looney Labs' Fluxx sets, are readily available for order on LooneyLabs.com.

The Temporal Cold War, a central storyline in Star Trek: Enterprise, was an intricate conflict waged between various time-traveling factions vying for control over the past, present, and future. Captain Archer and the Enterprise crew first found themselves embroiled in this war through encounters with a mysterious figure collaborating with the shapeshifting Suliban. The conflict escalated dramatically when another faction manipulated the alien Xindi, convincing them that humanity would eventually destroy their species, and subsequently providing them with advanced weapons. This led to a devastating Xindi attack on Earth, which Archer successfully thwarted before a second, planet-destroying assault could occur. Ultimately, the Temporal Cold War concluded with the prohibition of time travel technology, though veterans of the conflict, such as Kovich (David Cronenberg) from Star Trek: Discovery, were still active in the 31st century.

Beyond the direct return of Star Trek's beloved Captain, the broader realm of science fiction invites fans to engage with its intricate worlds through unique experiences, such as Collider's exclusive "Sci-Fi Survival Quiz: Which Sci-Fi World Would You Survive?" This engaging quiz challenges participants to test their instincts and determine which of five iconic sci-fi universes—The Matrix, Mad Max, Blade Runner, Dune, or Star Wars—they are best equipped to survive.

The quiz presents eight critical questions, each with five possible answers, delving into aspects like initial instinct, resource management, perceived threats, approach to authority, environmental endurance, preferred alliances, moral boundaries, and ultimate purpose in survival. The answers collectively reveal a personalized survival profile, identifying the dystopia, galaxy, or desert wasteland where an individual's temperament, instincts, and stubbornness are most likely to ensure their survival.

For those whose instincts align with The Matrix, the quiz suggests they've already "taken the red pill." These individuals are systems thinkers, adept at noticing discrepancies and driven to understand and dismantle systemic falsehoods. They thrive with information and freedom, making them ideal members of the Resistance in Zion, constantly probing the walls of the constructed reality. In contrast, those destined for Mad Max's Wasteland are characterized as hard to kill and unbreakable. They prioritize vehicles, fuel, and outrunning threats over comfort or community, possessing an unsentimental yet not entirely ruthless nature that allows them to be more than mere raiders.

Survivors in Los Angeles, 2049 (Blade Runner) are those who navigate moral grey areas without losing themselves. They are astute observers of people, maintain small, trusted circles, and aren't afraid to ask difficult questions in a city where humanity is often just a legal label. Their ability to remain functional amidst existential ambiguity is key. The harsh environment of Arrakis (Dune) rewards individuals with patience, discipline, and political acumen. These survivors understand the long game, learning the desert planet's intricate logic, earning its respect, and eventually gaining the potential to reshape its future.

Finally, those best suited for A Galaxy Far, Far Away (Star Wars) find meaning in collective causes—be it a crew, a rebellion, or any force opposing the Empire's dominion. They are inherently fighters, incapable of standing idly by, believing that their willingness to resist makes all the difference in breaking the Empire's oppressive grip. The quiz ultimately offers a fascinating introspection into one's own survival ethos within these rich, imagined worlds.