Mojave, seen from its surrounding parkland, during the mid-23rd century
Mojave was atown located inCalifornia onEarth. It was encircled by fifty miles (80 km) ofparkland, although it was considered not as nice as the parkland around bigger cities. In earlier times, the city was mostly a dry and arid region, as it was situated within the southwestern portion of the Mojave desert. By the mid-23rd century, it had beenterraformed into a lush, fertile area.
During the early 23rd century, it was the birthplace ofStarfleet officerChristopher Pike, who becamecaptain of thestarshipUSSEnterprise. When living in Mojave, Pike owned a pair ofhorses –Tango andMary Lou – riding them into the groves with apicnic lunch every day. While in space, he missed his hometown, describing it as a "nice little town". (TOS: "The Cage")
In2254, while imprisoned byTalosians onTalos IV, Christopher Pike was placed in an illusory recreation of a park near Mojave in a picnic with his "wife"Vina. (TOS: "The Cage")
In2257, uponbeaming over to theUSSDiscovery to takecommand of thestarship, Pike introduced himself toCommanderSaru by referencing his birthplace, relating that, in Mojave, he had learned "the best way to jump into a coldstream" was to "dive right in". (DIS: "Brother")
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Thescripts for the initial pilot "The Cage" described the parkland near Mojave: "The locale is beautifully planted, rich park and forest land." Mojave itself was also referenced in the scene description of "the far horizon where we can see a distant skyline of towering buildings with beautifully delicate architecture."
TheStar Trek Encyclopedia, 4th ed., vol. 2, p. 49 described Mojave as a southwestern region of theNorth Americancontinent. The distant settlement was referred to as the "Mojave city" in thisreference work.
The parkland in "The Cage" was filmed onStage 16 ofDesilu's Culver City lot.[1] A detailed background painting of a futuristic cityscape in a desert oasis was created for the parkland scene of "The Cage". It was later reused as a city onPlanet Q inTOS: "The Conscience of the King". (The Art of Star Trek, p. 22;Star Trek Encyclopedia, 4th ed., vol. 2, p. 49)
Mojave was a somewhat prophetic choice for the home of space pioneer Pike, since, in2004, some forty years after "The Cage" was written, Mojave became the USA's first inlandspaceport, and the first to be cleared for horizontal spacecraft takeoff and launch.
Captain Pike'sready room on the USSDiscovery includes some of his history from the Mojave Desert. (DIS Season 2 DVD andBlu-ray, "DesigningDiscovery: Season 2")