Some people dream of Arabian horses, supercars, or mega yachts as their perfect conveyance, but J & K would rather travel at lightspeed. Today, we dive into our favorite fictional spaceships to ply the star-lanes.
J At the top of my list of favorite spaceships will always be Darth Vader’s iconic Super Star Destroyer: Executor. It, and its smaller siblings, carry their simple wedge shape with power and grace. The pointed prow bespeaks motion even when still. And Executor is a behemoth that defies imagining, at a staggering 19,000 meters long (over 11 miles, for those not on the metric system). Darth Vader couldn’t have asked for a better symbol of his terrible power.
Another favorite also comes from the Star Wars universe, and it needs no introduction. Slave I has one of the most arresting visual profiles of any spaceship with its unique vertical flight position. Fun fact: this Firespray-class patrol ship was an experimental design that never reached full production, so Boba Fett truly has a one-of-a-kind vessel.
Toggling to a different science fiction setting, the sleek and menacing shape of the Cylon Raider from Battlestar Galactica’s 00’s reboot immediately captured my attention. Their eerie ‘heads’ with visual scanners similar to those of Cylon Centurions impart an anthropomorphic quality that alludes to the synthetic beings’ organic-based technology. Creepy and cool.
Last, but certainly not least, one of my favorite designs from Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Deathscythe. Perhaps a stretch to call it a ‘spaceship,’ but I’m counting it since many mecha battles take place in orbit. What’s not to love about a giant mobile suit wielding an anachronistic energy weapon? Also, this picture (which I love) is undoubtedly fanart, but I’m unable to find the original artist. If anyone knows, please let me know so I can give them credit for this awesome illustration!
K So many spaceships, so little time!
The Enterprise from Star Trek. Specifically USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E). This beauty can travel up to Warp Speed 9.995. And its first appearance is in my favorite Star Trek film. First Contact. I just love multilevel ships that are a giant community (and those Holo decks).
Stargate Atlantis Hive Ship – This ship type belongs to the baddies of the series, the Wraith. It is made of organic material and does not have shields – the organic material is able to absorb the energy of weapon fire and redirect it to regenerate damaged areas. Pretty cool. It also is set up to be controlled only by those who possess the right telepathic DNA markers of the wraith. Also cool. Makes these hard to steal.
Cylon Base Star – I love the shape, but also that it is semi-organic and the concept of the hybrid (which in short is a human version of a Cylon that connects to the ship and basically is the ship’s mind)
Jedi Starfighter from Star Wars – When I first saw this ship I fell in love with it. I originally favored the X-wing, but I thought it was really cool that this ship had detachable Hyperspace transport rings and the controls were built to be used by Force-sensitive users.
What are your favorite vessels, Seekers? Tells us in the comments!