Doctor Who Talking Soft Toy - Red Dalek

The other day, I went on a grand quest for fabric and materials for the Vulcan robes, necklace and headdress that I was going to create for Comic Con. Unfortunately, after hours of searching I found that the materials I would have needed came to more that 600 dollars. I walked home, defeated, drinking orange juice and singing Roses in the Hospital.

But then I decided to stop in at the mall to cool off. I walked in, and saw that the Hallmark shop had the new Star Trek ornaments in - my day got ten times better with that sight. Walking through the mall to get to the bus loop, I also decided to look inside HMV. My day then got 100 times better.

This talking Dalek plush is one of the most adorable things I have ever seen. Not only does it look adorable, but it sounds adorable as well. When pressed upon, it says one of two things: "Exterminate! Exterminate!" or "You would make a good Dalek". There are only three sense globes in each row around the lower casing, but it makes up for this inaccuracy with it's clear sounding phrases and charm.

The next day, I brought the Dalek with me everywhere - to work, across the street for a Monster, and around the city in general. I also took pictures while we were out (see above) and made a video about it, with which I will conclude this post:

MiniMates 2002 Gorn and Mugato Figures

Some of the best things I have ever found were found at the bottom of a box filled with junk.

Last time I was at an expo, I spent a lot of time trying not to trip over children sitting on the floor and going through such boxes. I managed to find both a MiniMates Gorn and Mugato figure from 2002 under some practically dismembered action figures and sports cards.

The first package featured the Gorn as seen in the TOS episode "Arena".

The head makes me laugh, due to it's shape and the style in which the face was drawn.

On the back of the head, scuta are painted in yellow and outlined in black.

This Gorn figure came with a silver puzzle-piece base (which comes with all of the Star Trek 2002 MiniMates figures) and two accessories - the dagger from the episode (not shown, as Mugato stole it in a jealous rage) and what I believe to be a Gorn disruptor.

This particular Gorn is actually quite acrobatic, with great balance:

Because of the extra middle piece, the Gorn's body comes apart very easily - too easily. Mugato (TOS episode a Private Little War) on the other hand, is very sturdy.

Mugato's face is more well drawn, and the figure looks less block-y because of the fur and horn.

As you can see, Mugato is holding the Gorn's dagger. You can also see the spikes running down Mugato's spine:

Upon our trek outdoors (pun intended), I convinced Mugato and Gorn to pose for a photoshoot together:

Just look at Gorn's adorable smile, as he waves to the camera. Mugato just stood there, making grunting noises and shaking his newly acquired dagger.

The fun thing about these figures is that they break into segments. Like I said before, the bottom of the Gorn's outfit detatches as well, adding an extra piece to it's mid-layer. It is not detached in this next picture, however, where I show off my Gorn-Mugato hybrids.

One of my pet peeves is actually the mispronunciation/misspelling of Mugato as "Mugatu". I know that Bones and Kirk referred to the creature as Mugatu, and that misspelling occurred in a compendium, but that is simply not it's name.

Fun fact: Mugato's name was to be Gumato in the original script, but Deforest Kelley couldn't pronounce it correctly. Interesting, he and William Shatner couldn't pronounce Mugato either.

And Then I Rescued Sulu and Spock from Burger King and Abusive Children.

Aside from rummaging through antique and second hand shops, I also check online for other local sellers (usedeverywhere, kijiji). I have found a lot of great items being sold by like-minded fans in my city, and have doubled my collection.

These next two "toys" were not bought by a like-minded fan, however (at least he wasn't as far as I know). They had a couple of children with them when I went to the door, they were slightly scuffed up, from Burger King, and they were being sold for one dollar. That's 50 cents each. So I was pretty excited, even if their disproportionate heads did creep me out a bit.

He is always watching. He stands there on my shelf, waiting...

Now of course these were promoting the 2009 Star Trek movie, so I am assuming that the Sulu toy is quoting the movie when I press the button on his back. I really don't know, because whatever comes out is impossible to understand, and is said in a strange tinny voice. It kind of sounds like "work durry sir" said really fast. Perhaps "Warp drive, sir"? "Warp three, sir"?

Spock's voice is understandable, and (of course) he simply quotes "live long, and prosper". It even sounds like Nimoy - slightly whistle-y and lisp-y, but that's what you get when something is mass-produced and then thrown around by children at a fast food joint.

He stares into your soul.

This may just be my obsessiveness getting the best of me again, but it really bothers me that his hair is black and his eyes are grey, when if they wanted to be true to the movie, his eyes would be brown and his hair would be grey.

Still, there is nothing creepier than toys and figures with short little bodies and huge heads.
Nothing, that is, unless those same toys and figures with short little bodies and huge heads are sitting on a shelf while being lighted by candles from below:

Oh dear.