Rigellian

The Rigellians were a species of intelligent turtle-like humanoids. ()
== Appendices ==__NOTOC__
=== Background information ===
The name "Rigellian" was introduced to the world nearly a full six months before the release of The Motion Picture. During her visit to the set of The Motion Picture, Susan Sackett noted many "curious creatures", including the "reptilian Rigellians". ( #23, , p. 31.)
The Rigellians were designed by Fred Phillips and Robert Fletcher for The Motion Picture. With the approval of Gene Roddenberry, the Rigellians, as well as numerous other new species in the film, were named by Fletcher and provided a backstory by him. The following is a brief description, in Fletcher's own words:
"RIGELLIANS – Descended from race of saber-toothed turtles, learned to walk upright. Range from five nine to seven feet and over. Unisex. Lay eggs. Real power is with attendants who serve, feed, and care for them. Costume of draped wool. Hands and feet of sculpted rubber. Wear ceremonial helmet and half-armor. Armor sculpted in studio craft shop, molded Fiberglas and chrome-plated." (The Making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, p. 132)
In an interview with Robert Fletcher – published as part one of "The Star Trek Costumes", in the edition of Fantastic Films – the Rigellians were described thus;
 "Don't let their size – 5'9" to 7' – or their heritage – descendants of a race of sabre-toothed turtles – overwhelm you, they are basically a peaceful race. What appears to be war-like armor plating is in fact a manufactured exoskeleton because the poor turtles have lost their shells. Although the larger of the species are called the Lords and are catered to hand and foot [?] by the smaller attendants, it is in fact the attendants who hold the real power." 
In an interview appearing in the edition of Fantastic Films, part two of "The Star Trek Costumes", Fletcher revealed more information about the Rigellians and the design of their costumes:
"This is the Rigellian Lord. They are a race of spacegoing turtles who no longer have shells to support their bodies. The material in his costume is a knit. The draping and coloration of the armor plating makes him a very elegant fellow. The armor plating was sculpted in the studio craft shop and is really fiberglass that has been chrome plated.
"The Rigellian Lord is a very tall creature and his attendant is a smaller creature but physically the same. His costume is very similar to the first Regellian but a little less regal in appearance. The he is carrying was done by Tom and Maggie Browne and it's a carving representing his master's household crest and position in the community. The first Rigellian is not really the master. You see, the large turtles are the egg carriers and the smaller ones are the real power in the community. I guess you would call the Lord a figurehead."
When Mego produced a 3¾" action figure for its second series in , the company inadvertently called it a "Rigellian". 
In an article appearing in the edition of , entitled "Who is that Alien?", the following information about the Rigellians, which included information taken from Fletcher's original background notes, added:
"Believe it or not, the Rigellians were supposedly descended from a race of saber-toothed turtles. They only had one gender and reproduced by laying eggs. Their armor was principally ceremonial, and the real power lay with their attendants who gave them food."
The costumes for the Rigellian Lord and Attendant were later sold in during the It's A Wrap! sale and auction. 
===Apocrypha===
In the Taking Wing, these Rigellians were called "Chelon", or "Rigellian Chelon". The term is also used in and the Star Trek: Vanguard series for the species' name. The novel Tower of Babel would explain that the Chelons hailed from Rigel III and were introduced to spaceflight technology by the Jelna Rigelians of Rigel V. By the 22nd century, they and the Zami, the Vulcanoid species from Rigel IV had come together as the United Rigel Worlds and Colonies, which was admitted to the Federation in 2164.
In the Last Unicorn Games and Decipher role-playing games, they are called "Chelarians" and hail from Rigel III (Chelar).
=== External link ===
* 
ja:ライジェリアン（Rigellian）
Category:Species
Category:Memory Alpha articles named from supplementary resources