With the trailers of the highly anticipated JJ Abrams Star Trek movie running rampant on the internet, it was no surprise that a new trailer would surface to give a nod to long time fans of the franchise. There at the close of the trailer, a much older version of Spock appeared giving the audience his trademark, Vulcan salute, passing the torch to a new crew of actors and a new generation of fans. However, what most casual viewers did not realize was that this same scenario was played out nearly 18 years earlier.

There was a time when the new generation of Star Trek was the Next Generation and the Trek universe began anew, vastly undiscovered, ripe with a need for exploration. As with all things, there were several attempts to pass the torch, but none as successfully as with the ST:TNG 5th season episode “Unification” where Leonard Nimoy reprised his role once more as Spock with a new crew.

We at Diamond Select Toys are celebrating this momentous year in trek and commemorating that first passing of the torch by presenting Toy Fair 2009 Attendees with a Spock Minimate as he appeared in the much loved episode “Unification” as shown here for the first time.

Live Long and Prosper.