Category Archives: 089. 2018 Arex/M’Ress

Artist Inspirations: M’Ress (2018)

There are two images that have been found that closely resemble the Hallmark Keepsake. How each are related is a little fuzzy but it seems certain the inspiration for the 2018 Special Event M’Ress ornament originally came from an image from a March 1987 comic book entitled Who’s Who in Star Trek (below left). The ornament has substituted the board and pen/stylus for a tricorder.

A second image was found on a Wiki page (below middle) that looks almost identical to the ornament (below right), most notably in the face and ears and how it differs so much from the comic book. The Wiki image appears to have been copied from the Hallmark image and embellished with the tricorder strap, the addition of a seam and pleat in her uniform, larger tail and feet, and more detail in the sleeve fabric.

Left: Illustration from Who’s Who in Star Trek by Ken Penders & Romeo Tanghal, Source: Memory Beta
Middle: Source: Star Trek Timelines Wiki
Right: 2018 Hallmark M’Ress ornament.

Illiustration from *Who’s Who In Star Trek* Issue #1.

Page from *Who’s Who In Star Trek* Issue #1, 1987, DC Comics
*Image from They Boldly Went*

Personal Data
Name: M’Ress
Occupation: Communications Specialist
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: None
Group Affiliation: Starfleet
Base of Operations: U.S.S. Enterprise
First Appearance: “The Survivor”
Height: 6’ Weight 160 lbs
Eyes: Gold Hair: Orange
Current Status: Science Department, U.S.S. Enterprise
History
Communications Officer M’Ress is a Caitian, one of several felinoid civilizations know through the United Federation of Planets (see U.F.P.).
Caitians are approximately the height of human males. They are bipedal, with manes and hairy coverings that occur in various colors. M’Ress’ fur is orange and brown. Her eyes are golden, and look like that of a Terran cat.
Her voice is soft, with a purring sound that becomes more of a hissing when she is emotionally agitated.
M’Ress’ uniform does not include boots, as her paws are padded and do not require protective coverings.
M’Ress is usually selected for landing party duty on planets lacking bright light. Like all felinoids, she sees better in the dark than she dies in bright light.
M’Ress uses her long tail for a variety of purposes which include keeping her balance, sensing temperature changes (she has no whiskers), and sensing the vibrations of approaching individuals.
Her musculature gives M’Ress the strength of two average Terran males. Her disposition, however, is gentle, and she will only use her strength to defend herself or to protect other lives.
After serving aboard the Enterprise for over a year, M’Ress transferred back to the planet Cait, where she worked as a communications analyst (see Enterprise). Missing the adventure, M’Ress returned to Starfleet (see Starfleet) and requested assignment aboard the newly commissioned Enterprise.

Left: Issue #1 Andorians thru Dr. Mccoy.
Right: Issue #2 Marla McGivers thru Vulcans.

2021 Top 10 Hallmark Star Trek Ornaments: #9

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#9: 2018 Lt. Arex & Lt. M’Ress

Retail: $40.00
2021 Secondary Market: $149.95
Size: 1.38″ W x 4.32″ H x 1.23″ D
Code: QMP4046
Quantity: 2,800

#9 on our Top 10 list has defeated all of the odds. The journey? A struggling sci-fi series of the sixties that only lasted three years spawning a two year animated series of the seventies which begat two of the least known character Keepsake ornaments nearly a half century later. These ornaments were made for the deepest of Star Trek fans and finally gave Star Trek: The Animated Series the recognition it deserves.

Not only did we get our first representation of Star Trek: The Animated Series in the Hallmark Keepsake line but we were treated to two ornaments in the same box! 2018’s two ornament package was an exclusive run of 2,800 pieces, and in a rare decision by Hallmark, the year’s event exclusive ornament was not a repainted mold of a past ornament. Repainting an older ornament has been the norm for limited ornaments since it is less expensive to produce. Hallmark’s all new sculpts of Lt. Arex and Lt. M’Ress were fantastic three dimensional likenesses of their two dimensional cartoon counterparts.

Lt. Arex, voiced by James Doohan, was a three armed, three legged Endosian Starfleet navigator. His third leg was thoughtfully placed behind him but his third arm was horrifying. Arex’s extra upper appendage originated in the center of his chest in the most unnatural and disturbing way.

“He appeared in fourteen episodes, “One of Our Planets Is Missing”, “The Lorelei Signal”, “The Infinite Vulcan”, “Once Upon a Planet”, “Mudd’s Passion”, “The Terratin Incident”, “The Ambergris Element”, “The Eye of the Beholder”, “The Pirates of Orion”, “Bem”, “The Practical Joker”, “Albatross”, “How Sharper Than a Serpent’s Tooth” and “The Counter-Clock Incident”. Although he appeared in fourteen episodes, no background information about Arex was revealed in the animated series, and he was never given a first name.”
Curt Danhauser’s Guide to the Animated Star Trek

Lt. M’Ress, voiced by Majel Barrett, was a lion-like Caitian Starfleet communications officer. Her appearance wasn’t quite as disconcerting as Arex’s. In fact, her purring accent was the audial antidote to the visually jarring Arex.

“M’Ress’s first appearance was in “The Survivor.” She only appeared in six episodes: “The Survivor”, “Once Upon a Planet”, “Mudd’s Passion”, “The Eye of the Beholder”, “Bem” and “Practical Joker.” (Her name is pronounced: Mmm-ress, not Em-ress). No background information about M’Ress was revealed in the animated series particularly since she only appeared in six shows, and she was never given a first name.”
Curt Danhauser’s Guide to the Animated Star Trek

Kudos to Hallmark for giving fans these lesser known peripheral Star Trek characters the ornament treatment. Star Trek: The Animated Series will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2023 and it is doubtful we will see another ST: TAS ornament. But if Hallmark needs an idea, an old television console with the animated series playing on it would be welcomed. We wouldn’t even need a new sculpt, they could do a repaint of the 2009 Twilight Zone ornament or maybe even the 2020 Kanine Krunchies Keepsake…dogs like Trek too.

Promotional Art of Lt. Arex & Lt. M’Ress from Roddenberry Vault 366 Project

We PAD out the Top 10 next time with #8 on the list!

Star Trek: The Official Guide to The Animated Series

New Packaging for Convention Exclusives

89) 2018 Arex & M’Ress (Qty 2,800)

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2018’s Event Exclusives will include Lieutenant Arex and Lieutenant M’Ress (QMP4046). These ornaments will be sold as a set of two with a retail of $40.00. They will be a limited run of 2800.

Lieutenant Arex™ and Lieutenant M’Ress™is a Keepsake Ornament two-pack of characters featured in Star Trek: The Animated Series. In celebration of the Saturday-morning television show’s 45^th anniversary, the two alien Starfleet officers created for the series are featured in original sculpts with a total production run of 2,800.

Look for our animated crew members at San Diego Comic-Con (July 19-22, 2018), Official Las Vegas Star Trek Convention (August 1-5, 2018), and New York Comic Con (October 4-7, 2018).