Gary Seven
Encyclopedia
Gary Seven is the major character in the last episode of the second season of the original Star Trek
television series, "Assignment: Earth". He is portrayed by Robert Lansing
.
on Earth by sabotaging a missile platform launched by the United States in 1968. Seven is encountered by the crew of the Starship Enterprise
, who have been sent back in time by the United Federation of Planets
to find out what actually had occurred on Earth in the late 1960s.
Seven's secretary was Miss Roberta Lincoln (portrayed by Teri Garr
) and was originally unaware of Seven's origins, thinking she was working for a couple that was researching a new encyclopedia. Seven also had a constant companion in Isis, who at first appears to be an ordinary cat
, but is shown to have great intelligence and in fact turns out to be able to alter its shape to become what appears to be a human female, which Miss Lincoln discovers during one scene as Isis changes shape into a human female and then back into a cat.
, an ability very few human or humanoid characters of the Star Trek universe ever manifested. Seven utilizes a small pen-shaped device called a "servo" which is a tool capable of almost anything. It functions as a communication device, a remote control to his personal transporter, a handheld weapon with both stun and kill settings and enough precision (and restraint) to cut a telephone wire from across a room, a remote manipulator to circuitry and machinery (used to deactivate the force field keeping him in the brig of the USS Enterprise), and a mechanical manipulation device (unscrewing screws, unlocking doors, etc.). (Physically and in terms of function, it had some similarity to the sonic screwdriver
used by the Doctor
on Doctor Who
.)
, Gary Seven had numerous dealings with Khan Noonien Singh
and initially hopes to train Khan as his successor. Along with his now-partner Roberta Lincoln, Seven tries to prevent World War III
in a variety of ways. Seven leaves Earth in 1996, after sending Khan on the DY-100 sleeper ship
SS Botany Bay.
Cox also wrote a 1997 novel, Assignment: Eternity, featuring Seven. In this novel, the alien agency which Seven works for is called the "Aegis," though whether this refers to Seven's organization or the alien race is unclear.
in the 1990s (written by Howard Weinstein and Michael Jan Friedman
), Gary Seven and Isis were sent by a force known as the Aegis, who took individuals from many worlds to selectively alter historical events. They gave their agents long lifespans, estimated to be as long as 1,000 years. Not all of these interventions went well—at least one led to an agent becoming the sole survivor of his homeworld—leading to a small rebellion against the Aegis. Several agents go so far as to injure or murder innocent beings who stand in their way.
Gary Seven later went against the wishes of the Aegis when he tried to stop the Devidians from altering the timeline so that the Federation
would fall to the Romulan
s. Seven died in an initial attempt to rescue Spock
from the Devidians, but was pulled from the timeline by the Aegis prior to the moment of his death after Exana (another agent of the Aegis, who was romantically involved with Seven) stopped the Devidians with the aid of Captain Kirk
and Captain Picard
.
In 2008, IDW Publishing
launched an Assignment Earth comic book series written and drawn by John Byrne.
Star Trek: The Original Series
Star Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
television series, "Assignment: Earth". He is portrayed by Robert Lansing
Robert Lansing (actor)
Robert Lansing was an American stage, film and television actor.Born in San Diego, California as Robert Howell Brown, he reportedly took his acting surname from the state capital of Michigan. As a young actor in New York City, he was hired to join a stock company in Michigan, but was told he would...
.
Assignment: Earth
The episode "Assignment: Earth" was a television pilot for a proposed series about Gary Seven, a human who lives on Earth but who works for the inhabitants of another planet. His mission was to prevent nuclear warNuclear warfare
Nuclear warfare, or atomic warfare, is a military conflict or political strategy in which nuclear weaponry is detonated on an opponent. Compared to conventional warfare, nuclear warfare can be vastly more destructive in range and extent of damage...
on Earth by sabotaging a missile platform launched by the United States in 1968. Seven is encountered by the crew of the Starship Enterprise
USS Enterprise (NCC-1701)
The USS Enterprise, NCC-1701, is a fictional starship in the Star Trek media franchise. The original Star Trek series depicts her crew's mission "to explore strange new worlds; to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before" under the command of Captain James...
, who have been sent back in time by the United Federation of Planets
United Federation of Planets
The United Federation of Planets, also known as "The Federation" is a fictional interplanetary federal republic depicted in the Star Trek television series and motion pictures...
to find out what actually had occurred on Earth in the late 1960s.
Seven's secretary was Miss Roberta Lincoln (portrayed by Teri Garr
Teri Garr
-Early life:Garr was born in Lakewood, Ohio in 1947. Her father, Eddie Garr , was a vaudeville performer, comedian and actor whose career peaked when he briefly took over the lead role in the Broadway drama Tobacco Road...
) and was originally unaware of Seven's origins, thinking she was working for a couple that was researching a new encyclopedia. Seven also had a constant companion in Isis, who at first appears to be an ordinary cat
Cat
The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
, but is shown to have great intelligence and in fact turns out to be able to alter its shape to become what appears to be a human female, which Miss Lincoln discovers during one scene as Isis changes shape into a human female and then back into a cat.
Powers and abilities
Although Seven is human, he manifests at least one non-human feature: he is insensitive to the impact of the Vulcan nerve pinchVulcan nerve pinch
In the fictional Star Trek universe, the Vulcan nerve pinch is a technique used mainly by Vulcans to render unconsciousness by pinching a pressure point at the base of the victim’s neck...
, an ability very few human or humanoid characters of the Star Trek universe ever manifested. Seven utilizes a small pen-shaped device called a "servo" which is a tool capable of almost anything. It functions as a communication device, a remote control to his personal transporter, a handheld weapon with both stun and kill settings and enough precision (and restraint) to cut a telephone wire from across a room, a remote manipulator to circuitry and machinery (used to deactivate the force field keeping him in the brig of the USS Enterprise), and a mechanical manipulation device (unscrewing screws, unlocking doors, etc.). (Physically and in terms of function, it had some similarity to the sonic screwdriver
Sonic screwdriver
The sonic screwdriver is a fictional tool in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who and its spinoffs. It is a multifunctional tool used by The Doctor. Its most common function is that of a lockpick, but can be used to perform other operations such as performing medical scans,...
used by the Doctor
Doctor (Doctor Who)
The Doctor is the central character in the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who, and has also featured in two cinema feature films, a vast range of spin-off novels, audio dramas and comic strips connected to the series....
on Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
.)
Star Trek novels
In Greg Cox's "Eugenics Wars" novelsThe Eugenics Wars: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh
The Eugenics Wars: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh is a two volume set of novels written by Greg Cox about the life of the fictional Star Trek character Khan Noonien Singh. He is often referred to as simply "Khan" in the Star Trek episode "Space Seed" and in the Star Trek movie Star Trek...
, Gary Seven had numerous dealings with Khan Noonien Singh
Khan Noonien Singh
Khan Noonien Singh, commonly shortened to Khan, is a villain in the fictional Star Trek universe. According to backstory given in the character's first appearance, the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Space Seed" , Khan is a genetically engineered superhuman tyrant who once controlled more...
and initially hopes to train Khan as his successor. Along with his now-partner Roberta Lincoln, Seven tries to prevent World War III
World War III
World War III denotes a successor to World War II that would be on a global scale, with common speculation that it would be likely nuclear and devastating in nature....
in a variety of ways. Seven leaves Earth in 1996, after sending Khan on the DY-100 sleeper ship
Sleeper ship
A sleeper ship is a hypothetical type of manned spaceship in which most or all of the crew spends the journey in some form of hibernation or suspended animation. There is currently no known technology that allows for long-term suspended animation of humans....
SS Botany Bay.
Cox also wrote a 1997 novel, Assignment: Eternity, featuring Seven. In this novel, the alien agency which Seven works for is called the "Aegis," though whether this refers to Seven's organization or the alien race is unclear.
Star Trek comics
According to several issues of the Star Trek comic books released by DC ComicsDC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
in the 1990s (written by Howard Weinstein and Michael Jan Friedman
Michael Jan Friedman
Michael Jan Friedman is an author of nearly sixty books of fiction and nonfiction, more than half of which are in the Star Trek universe. Ten of his titles have appeared on the New York Times Best Seller list...
), Gary Seven and Isis were sent by a force known as the Aegis, who took individuals from many worlds to selectively alter historical events. They gave their agents long lifespans, estimated to be as long as 1,000 years. Not all of these interventions went well—at least one led to an agent becoming the sole survivor of his homeworld—leading to a small rebellion against the Aegis. Several agents go so far as to injure or murder innocent beings who stand in their way.
Gary Seven later went against the wishes of the Aegis when he tried to stop the Devidians from altering the timeline so that the Federation
United Federation of Planets
The United Federation of Planets, also known as "The Federation" is a fictional interplanetary federal republic depicted in the Star Trek television series and motion pictures...
would fall to the Romulan
Romulan
The Romulans are a fictional alien race in the Star Trek universe. First appearing in the original Star Trek series in the 1966 episode "Balance of Terror", they have since made appearances in all the main later Star Trek series: The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager...
s. Seven died in an initial attempt to rescue Spock
Spock
Spock is a fictional character in the Star Trek media franchise. First portrayed by Leonard Nimoy in the original Star Trek series, Spock also appears in the animated Star Trek series, two episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, seven of the Star Trek feature films, and numerous Star Trek...
from the Devidians, but was pulled from the timeline by the Aegis prior to the moment of his death after Exana (another agent of the Aegis, who was romantically involved with Seven) stopped the Devidians with the aid of Captain Kirk
James T. Kirk
James Tiberius "Jim" Kirk is a character in the Star Trek media franchise. Kirk was first played by William Shatner as the principal lead character in the original Star Trek series. Shatner voiced Kirk in the animated Star Trek series and appeared in the first seven Star Trek movies...
and Captain Picard
Jean-Luc Picard
Captain Jean-Luc Picard is a Star Trek character portrayed by Patrick Stewart. He appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the feature films Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek Nemesis...
.
In 2008, IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing
IDW Publishing, also known as Idea + Design Works, LLC and IDW, is an American publisher of comic books and comic strip collections. The company was founded in 1999 and has been awarded the title "Publisher of the Year Under 5% Market Share" for the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 by Diamond Comic...
launched an Assignment Earth comic book series written and drawn by John Byrne.