The Replacement

The best card in These Are the Voyages? I've been asked what it is. And really, I don't know. I don't know if I would of said At What Cost at this point of Necessary Evil or Tragic Turn of Fractured Time. I think time will tell if it is No Kill I or Optimism or Grav-Plating Trap or Bashir Founder, Imperturbable Infiltrator or Dukat, Pah-wraith Puppet or Khan Noonien Singh, Bold Man or Gav, Diplomat or T'Auethn, Obedient Centurion or Jeremiah Hayes, Diligent Major or the U.S.S. Enterprise, Beautiful Lady or Kirk himself ... oh, Kirk. He is good. Some will say he is the best TOS personnel but I know better. I know this because rarely is James T. Kirk, Highly-Decorated Captain talked about with out mentioning Pavel A. Chekov, Young Navigator.

I know what you are thinking, "Those skills aren't that great. Just three of them and Officer is bound to show up a bit if Driven is to ever work." But it is his upgrade that makes Pavel so interesting – and not his boyish charm.

In the show, Walter Koenig joined the show in it's second season as a way to appeal to a younger demographic. He replaced a steady stream of actors who showed up at the helm opposite of Sulu in season one.

That is right, he replaced others and that is what his upgrade ability does. But it just doesn't bump someone – it can bump ANYONE. Well, any of your TOS personnel that is.

So, if that upgrade worked well that first time, young Chekov can show up and give you another go at it. Or if you didn't upgrade Leonard H. McCoy, Chief Medical Officer when you played him , Chekov gives you the chance to bounce him back into your hand and take another shot at things. Or if Spock, Science Officer's upgrade didn't hit exactly like you would of liked, his protégé can step in and help the master.

In a month or two when someone is talking about the best TOS personnel be nice enough to remind them this little common card pulls more that it's own weight.