star trek romulan leader

Star Trek: Who Is Shinzon And How Did He Take Over The Romulan Star Empire?

Quick links, who was shinzon, how did shinzon takeover the romulan star empire, shinzon's legacy in star trek.

• Shinzon, a dark reflection of Jean-Luc Picard, was the final villain in Star Trek: The Next Generation movies.
• In Star Trek Nemesis , Shinzon assumed control of the Romulan Star Empire against all odds and launched a devastating campaign against Picard and the Federation.
• Despite criticism of the movie, Shinzon's actions had lasting consequences on both the prime and Kelvin timelines in the Star Trek franchise.

Shinzon was the primary opponent faced by the crew of the USS Enterprise in Star Trek: Nemesis . That gives him the distinction of being the final villain of Star Trek: The Next Generation , the hugely successful era of Star Trek that covered seven series and four feature films. While the spirit of that show continued in contemporary series like Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and more recently in Star Trek: Picard , this well-loved crew’s final voyage demanded a major threat and found it in an old sci-fi staple: the evil counterpart.

Dark doppelgängers have been with Star Trek since the Mirror universe was introduced to the Original Series in 1967’s ‘Mirror, Mirror.’ The show helped build many cliches associated with the trope designed to test a hero's mettle like never before (including evil goatee beards). In Nemesis , it was Jean-Luc Picard’s turn to be flipped, although not because of the Mirror universe. The renowned captain of the USS Enterprise faced a vengeful clone of himself with the full might of the Romulan Star Empire at his disposal.

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At the start of Star Trek: Nemesis , Shinzon was a mysterious new Praetor, the title for the head of the Romulan senate, who had seized control of the Empire. Having been drawn to a planet near the Romulan Neutral Zone by the remains of a Soong-style robot, a prototype of TNG legend Data , the Enterprise-E was the closest Starfleet vessel when the Empire made unexpected peace overtures to the Federation. This rare mission to Romulus revealed the new Praetor to be a younger version of Picard who was happy to provide a sample of blood for Doctor Crusher to verify, even if it meant sinisterly cutting his hand.

Shinzon was a clone created from Jean-Luc Picard’s DNA as part of a Romulan plot to infiltrate the United Federation of Planets. Due to Shizon's age, fan theories have speculated that the DNA was taken when Picard commanded the USS Stargazer. While not yet an influential figure in Starfleet, the time paradox of Tashar Yar could have given the Empire knowledge of Picard’s highly decorated career to come. After ‘Yesterday’s Enterprise’ saved Yar from an early death , Romulans captured her when she went back in time aboard the doomed Enterprise-C.

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Picard’s clone suffered away from Earth, not least when he also developed Shalaft's Syndrome, which made him hypersensitive to sound, but had to wait far longer to receive treatment he waited for a doctor with knowledge of the rare human condition. Then, a power shift in the Romulan Empire canceled the risky clone-infiltration plan. Shinzon was exiled from Romulus to work in the dark dilithium mines of its twin planet, Remus. The clone was frequently beaten during 18-hour work shifts, but he forged a close relationship with Vkruk, who would later become his Reman Viceroy.

In Nemesis , Crusher’s analysis showed that the new Praetor was suffering from a fatal cellular structure breakdown. The clone incorporated temporal RNA sequencing, intended to accelerate his physical age to Picard's at any time to complete the deception. However, the program’s cancelation meant Shinzon's aging program was never activated, causing the clone to become unstable. Shinzon’s only hope was a complete blood transfusion from his genetic template, Jean-Luc Picard, so he carefully plotted the kidnap of the captain to complete the procedure.

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While Shinzon seemed fascinated by the Picard family history he’d been denied, his true goal was to stabilize his biology before crushing everything Picard represented. The parts of the Soong android B-4 that ensured the Enterprise was closest to the Neutral Zone were planted as part of this plot. The android’s existence was suggested to be another earlier attempt by the Romulans to infiltrate Starfleet .

Shinzon was a product of his brutalized life — like Frankenstein’s monster, a wonder of science abandoned by his creators who returned to wreak vengeance. While he sought freedom for his adopted people, the subjugated Remans, his ultimate plan was built on the back of revenge, jealousy, and hatred. The film tackled typical nature versus nurture questions posed by dark counterparts in a debate between Picard and Data.

Shinzon’s savage outlook was reflected in other underhand actions. In one of the film’s most controversial moments, Shinzon used the telepathic powers of his Reman viceroy to invade Deanna Troi's mind, having become obsessed with her — the first human, or half-human, female he had ever met.

Shinzon’s opportunity came during the Dominion War when the powers of the Alpha and Beta were forced into an alliance to beat the devastating forces of the Gamma Quadrant superpower . While the war that raged between 2374 and 2375 was shown in Deep Space Nine , behind the scenes, Shinzon was drafted to the Romulan military, where he commanded Reman forces in 12 successful engagements. Despite their very different upbringing, Shinzon shared the command abilities with his Starfleet progenitor.

Shinzon emerged from the Dominion conflict with impressive military experience, an army, and alliances with high-ranking Romulans. Shinzon and Vkruk devised a plan to free the Reman people by overthrowing the Romulan senate. To this end, Shinzon’s forces built the gigantic warbird Scimitar and developed a devastating and deadly weapon using thalaron radiation. Shinzon made overtures to the Romulan Senate but seized complete control in a coup d’etat when he assassinated the Praetor and senate members with a small thalaron projector. As the self-declared Praetor, Shinzon could now turn his attention to the Federation and Picard.

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In Nemesis , Shinzon believed his true purpose was to free the Reman people by overthrowing the Romulan ruling elite. However, a deleted scene in the movie confirmed he intended to follow the destruction of Picard by crossing the Romulan Neutral Zone to wage war on the Federation. Crushing the Romulans’ great foe would take revenge on humanity and secure his name above Picard’s in the history books.

Shinzon was defeated at the Battle of Bassen Rift when his flagship Scimitar locked talons with the Enterprise-E. Picard escaped his imprisonment with Data’s help and, using his younger self’s overconfidence against him, severely damaged the Scimitar by using his ship as an unorthodox ram. In a final battle with Picard, Shinzon was fatally impaled, his last words ominously proclaiming, “Our destiny's complete.” His plans died with him when Data sacrificed himself to destroy the thalaron weapon.

Despite a strong script from John Logan, the concept of Nemesis and Picard’s dark clone failed to spark, some criticism leveled at the emphasis put on the villain, and its underperformance ended TNG ’s journey on the big screen. However, the events of Nemesis would have consequences for the franchise’s prime and Kelvin timelines.

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The Kelvin timeline of 2009’s Star Trek and subsequent movies was created when a black hole propelled Ambassador Spock, the vengeful Romulan Nero, and his crew back in time. Spock had failed to stop the imminent supernova of Romulus and Remus’s sun, which destroyed the planets and killed Nero’s family in 2387, eight years after Shinzon’s death. The subsequent damaging campaign of another rage-filled villain finally put a leading Romulan villain on the big screen.

Star Trek: Picard , which dealt with the consequences of Data’s death in Nemesis , also filled in details of the destruction of Romulus in the Prime universe. Following his promotion to Admiral, Picard took charge of constructing and coordinating a fleet to evacuate affected Romulan planets.

The Romulan Senate’s plea to the Federation for help might have been ridiculous at any other time of their fractious history , but relations had thawed after Picard’s defeat of Shinzon. Picard’s acceptance of the role may have been motivated by guilt about his dark counterpart. That the evacuation plan was sabotaged by the Tal Shiar, the Romulan intelligence agency, masterminding a devastating synth attack on Mars, triggering the Admiral’s resignation from Starfleet as they did, indicated ongoing instability in the Romulan Star Empire after Shinzon’s defeat.

Perhaps the greatest sign of how Picard’s confrontation with his dark younger self affected the Star Trek icon has been his increasing closeness to the Romulan people. As well as taking in refugees Laris and Zhaban he saved his young protegee Elnor, who would become the first fully Romulan Starfleet cadet.

Star Trek: Nemesis

Release Date December 13, 2002

Director Stuart Baird

Cast LeVar Burton, Brent Spiner, Jonathan Frakes, Patrick Stewart, Ron Perlman, Marina Sirtis, Tom Hardy, Gates McFadden

Runtime 117 Minutes

Genres Sci-Fi

The History Of The Romulans, And Their Place In The Star Trek Universe

"Star Trek" is home to countless alien races, but few have as enduring a presence in the franchise as the Romulans. They're the most persistent adversaries of the Federation, so much so that blue-tinted Romulan Ale remains under trade embargo. This hostility makes it all the more ironic that they resemble humanity's first alien allies, the Vulcans , sharing their pointed ears and arched eyebrows.

The in-universe origin of the Romulans is that they were Vulcans, millennia ago. In that distant past, the Vulcans were a warlike people, far from the cold logicians that fans know. That changed when (in Earth's 4th century), the philosopher Surak taught his people to embrace logic and master their emotions. Not all Vulcans accepted Surak's teachings; "Those Who March Beneath The Raptor's Wings" were eventually exiled from Vulcan. These dissident Vulcans settled on the twin planets Romulus and Remus, evolving into the Romulans and personifying a violent path not taken by their Vulcan cousins.

"Star Trek" is big on allegory — the interstellar powers represent the geopolitics of the 20th century. The Federation is the United States of America, a democracy of many member states. As the Federation's most pressing rival, the Klingon Empire is the Soviet Union. The Romulan Star Empire is China, a "sleeping dragon" superpower.

So, why have the Romulans endured as a crucial part of "Star Trek" history — and what does their role in that history look like?

Romulans in the Original Series

The Romulans were created by writer Paul Schneider, debuting in the season 1 episode "Balance of Terror." The episode features the Enterprise reacting to the destruction of outposts along the Romulan Neutral Zone; the culprit is a Romulan ship armed with a cloaking device. The Romulans flee back home while the Enterprise pursues its invisible quarry in a cat-and-mouse game.

This episode established the Romulan Star Empire had fought humanity in a devastating war a century ago. The war ended with a Neutral Zone established between the two parties' territories. Notably, no human had ever seen a Romulan in this time (or at least, no human who survived to tell about it). That means the Enterprise crew is stunned when they discover their adversaries are identical to Vulcans. The Romulans' exact backstory isn't spelled out, but Spock (Leonard Nimoy) speculates they are a Vulcan offshoot who retained his ancestors' warlike ways.

Schneider modeled the Romulans on the Romans; their twin homeworlds are named for the mythical founders of Rome and they employ ranks like "Centurion." Interviewed for "The Captains' Logs" by authors Edward Gross and Mark Altman , Schneider explained: "I came up with the concept of the Romulans which was an extension of the Roman civilization to the point of space travel, and it turned out quite well."

The Romulans' ship, dubbed a "Bird of Prey" due to the hawk painted on its underbelly, also created an association between the Romulans and birds. By "Star Trek: The Next Generation," their imperial insignia had evolved into a stylized raptor. Their ancestors' moniker, "Those Who March Beneath The Raptor's Wings," was probably extrapolated from this connection too by writer André Bormanis (the name first appears in "Star Trek: Enterprise" episode, "Awakening," written by Bormanis).

Further appearances

"Balance of Terror" is one of the most acclaimed episodes of "Star Trek: The Original Series." It was even semi-remade for the season 1 finale of "Strange New Worlds," titled "A Quality of Mercy." The unnamed Romulan Commander (played by Mark Lenard, who would go on to play Spock's father, Sarek) is an especially well-remembered villain, predating Khan Noonien Singh as the first worthy adversary of Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and the Enterprise. Even with his last words, he retains dignity and honor: "I regret that we meet in this way. You and I are of a kind. In a different reality, I could have called you friend."

Despite this dynamite debut, the Romulans made only two more appearances in "The Original Series." They are the antagonists of the season 2 episode "The Deadly Years," about the Enterprise crew succumbing to premature aging. However, only their ships are seen, not the Romulans themselves. They make a second and final onscreen appearance in season 3's "The Enterprise Incident" ( written by the legendary D.C. Fontana ). In this episode, Spock seduces a Romulan commander (Joanne Linville) while Kirk poses as a Romulan officer to steal her ship's cloaking device.

According to "The Art of Star Trek" by Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens, "Romulans were originally intended to be more of an ongoing threat to the crew of the Enterprise, but the make-up requirements proved too expensive. Klingons were cheaper." Note how, in "Balance of Terror" and "The Enterprise Incident," Romulan extras often wear ear-concealing helmets — an easy way to bypass make-up expenses.

The Romulans had only minor roles in the six theatrical "Star Trek" films featuring the original cast. They were rejected as villains of the third film, "The Search for Spock," again in favor of the Klingons (this is why the Klingons in that film have a cloaked ship called a Bird of Prey).

The Rihannsu

During the 1980s, the Romulans took center-stage in "Rihannsu," a five-novel series written primarily by Diane Duane (Peter Morwood co-authored the second, "The Romulan Way.") Published from 1984 to 2006, the novels invented a culture and language for the Romulans wholesale; they are technically not "Trek" canon but remain acclaimed for their world-building.

"Rihannsu" ("The Declared") is the Romulans' native name for themselves, akin to how German people call their nation "Deutschland," the Japanese call theirs "Nippon," etc. They are driven by "D'era," an expansionist impulse akin to Manifest Destiny, and "Mnhei'sahe" (ruling passion), a complex code of conduct that is foremost a rejection of the Vulcan system of logic.

"Mnhei'sahe" is weighed by one's personal strength and devotion to the Empire. Romulans seek power not for personal benefit per se, but because greater power serves the Empire. Selflessness is an alien concept to the Romulans; do things for the sake of your own Mnhei'sahe and others will benefit in the process. "Mnhei'sahe" spreads its claws even into simple Romulan social interactions, where the ideal outcome is for both parties to depart with their honor intact.

Much of Duane's other additions are inferences based on "Balance of Terror" and "The Enterprise Incident." Akin to Rome, the Romulans are an Oligarchic Republic; a Praetor is elected by the Senate itself, not the people at large. "The Enterprise Incident" showed a Romulan woman with a high military rank. So, "Rihannsu" gave the Romulan society a matriarchial tilt; a Romulan's family lineage is derived from their mother, not their father.

Much of "Rihannsu" is a holdover from the suggestion in "Star Trek: The Original Series" that Romulans were a warrior culture. For instance, their society has a semi-feudal system with a strong emphasis on family affiliation. Canon material would take a different path, showing Romulans as militant but not exactly honorable.

The Next Generation

In "Star Trek: The Next Generation," the Klingons were now good guys (mostly). They also became the go-to warrior race of "Star Trek"; Klingon society took on Viking and Samurai characteristics, where war, personal honor, and feudal affiliation were everything.

The Romulans became less and less the noble Roman-esque adversaries that Schneider had conceived of, with "TNG" instead highlighting their duplicity (with the cloaking devices) and isolationism. Thus, the stereotypical traits of Romulans became paranoia, deception, and xenophobia.

The Romulans were reintroduced in "TNG" season 1 finale, "The Neutral Zone," where it's said they had stayed out of galactic affairs for much of the 24th century. The episode (where several of their colonies are destroyed by the to-be-revealed Borg) awakens them. Creator Gene Roddenberry had initially not wanted to use the Romulans, but poor reception to the Ferengi meant the Federation needed a new adversary. Thus, the Romulans became the most frequent alien antagonist in the series; the Federation and Klingons were united as their enemies. Recurring Romulan villains included Tomalak (Andreas Katsulas) and Sela (Denise Crosby).

The most notable additions to the Romulans in "TNG" included V-shaped forehead ridges (dimorphic evolution from their Vulcan cousins), the D'deridex Class (enormous green warships descended from the Birds-of-Prey from "The Original Series"), and the Tal Shiar, Romulus' secret police.

Romulan highlights in "TNG" include "The Defector" (a Romulan military officer defects to the Federation) and "Reunification" (where Ambassador Spock has begun a push on Romulus for the two peoples to be one again).

The Next Generation (cont'd)

The Romulans weren't as prominent in "Deep Space Nine" as in "The Next Generation," but that series featured them finally uniting with the Federation. While the Federation and Klingons fight a losing war with the expansionist Dominion, the Romulans initially stay on the sidelines.

In the season 6 episode, "In The Pale Moonlight," Captain Sisko (Avery Brooks) and Garak (Andrew Robinson) falsify evidence of the Dominion's plans to invade Romulus and try to sway Senator Vreenak (Stephen McHattie). When their deception is revealed, Garak (with Sisko none the wiser until it's done) pulls a move the Romulans would be proud of: he assassinates Vreenak and frames the Dominion. Thus, the Romulans join the war as allies, and remain so until the series' end.

The Romulans finally got a silver screen spotlight in "Star Trek: Nemesis," the final "TNG" theatrical film. The Romulan Senate is assassinated by a bio-weapon and a new Praetor, Shinzon (Tom Hardy), seizes power. It turns out Shinzon is a failed clone of Picard, the product of an aborted spying operation. The biggest wrinkle "Nemesis" introduces to the Romulans is the Remans. Playing on the pre-established twin planets Romulus and Remus, the grey-skinned Remans are a slave race, toiling as forced laborers and shock troops.

The film skimps on the details of Reman history, so viewers can surmise they evolved on Remus and were subjugated by the Romulans. However, the novel trilogy "Vulcan's Soul" by Josepha Sherman and Susan Shwartz builds on the Remans displaying telepathy like the Vulcans (which the Romulans have always lacked). In this telling, the Remans were Vulcan exiles who refused to give up their telepathy and so were oppressed by the future Romulans; their appearance stems from the poor living conditions on Remus.

Looking to the past

"Star Trek: Enterprise" was a prequel set in the 22nd century, beginning before first contact between humans and Romulans. That event was depicted in the season 2 episode "Minefield," when the Enterprise stumbles into Romulan territory and is disabled by a cloaked minefield. True to canon, only the Romulans' ships are seen in the episode.

The Romulans finally took a larger role in season 4. The three-parter, "The Forge/Awakening/Kir'Shara" was about a Vulcan conspiracy to invade the Andorians. The ending revealed that Vulcan Administrator V'Las (Robert Foxworth) was in league with the Romulans and secretly working towards reunification. A subsequent three-parter, "Babel One/United/The Aenar," featured the Romulans as the explicit villains. A Romulan drone-ship, equipped with a holographic projector and controlled by Admiral Valore (Brian Thompson), attacked ships throughout the Alpha Quadrant to ferment dissent (the story begins with it destroying an Andorian ship while disguised as a Tellarite one, it later destroys a Rigellian freighter while disguised as Enterprise, etc.). However, the attacks only wind up bringing the targeted races together.

"Enterprise" established a firm timeframe for the Earth-Romulan War: 2156 to 2160. Moreover, the war was revealed as the event that brought the Federation together; Humans, Vulcans, Andorians, and Tellarites united in a military alliance against Romulan expansionism and never broke apart. The Romulans' increased presence in season 4 was building up to the war, but unfortunately, "Enterprise" was canceled before subsequent seasons could depict it. Thus, the Earth-Romulan War remains undepicted onscreen, confined to novels "Beneath The Raptor's Wings" and "To Brave The Storm" (both by Michael A. Martin).

The home world destroyed

Romulans were again the villains of a "Star Trek" film in director JJ Abrams' eponymous reboot. In the year 2387, Romulus and Remus are destroyed when their star goes supernova, shattering the Empire. Spock manages to contain the explosion with the substance Red Matter, opening a wormhole that sends him back in time to the 23rd century. Following him is the Romulan mining vessel the Narada, captained by vengeful Captain Nero (Eric Bana) — his name is another allusion to ancient Rome . 

The Narada's presence creates an alternate timeline; Nero and his men destroy Vulcan with Red Matter before being defeated themselves. Nero and the Narada's crew stand out from other Romulans thanks to their shaved heads and tattoos; the admittedly non-canon comic "Star Trek: Countdown" suggests this is part of a mourning ritual. Normally the tattoos would fade, but Nero and his crew burnt them into their skin to ensure they'd never forget the loss of their home.

"Star Trek" returned to the "TNG" era with "Picard" and followed on from this point. It turns out that Starfleet offered to help evacuate Romulus, but after an attack on Mars, reneged on the plan; Picard himself resigned in disgust. The Romulans are far from extinct though. The Empire has collapsed into warring factions, one of which is the Romulan Free State. According to "Star Trek: Discovery," Vulcan/Romulan reunification will have become a reality by the 31st century. The groups remain culturally divided, but they again exist on the same planet, renamed from Vulcan to "Ni'var" (meaning two combined into one).

Romulan worldbuilding

Michael Chabon, showrunner of "Picard" season 1, also shared (via Medium) worldbuilding notes on the Romulans . These presumably influenced his onscreen depiction of them. Chabon writes that the Romulans are such secretive people that there is nothing more intimate to them than the truth; marriages have three participants because there must be third-party verification in everything.

The Romulan government is organized like an espionage network, with multiple competing cells, while Romulans all have four names: the common name (used for familiarity), imperial name (the state-recognized name), open name (for outsiders), and their true name (used only for close intimacy). Chabon suggests that a rumored reason for the Romulans' secrecy is the abundance of camouflaged predators on their adopted homeworld; their cloaked warbirds are modeled on a raptor whose plumage blends into the horizon.

Not all depictions of the Romulans totally align — compare Duane's Rihannsu to Chabon's Romulans. However, they all draw upon "The Original Series" and make inferences from there. "Star Trek" writers and fans aren't much different; they both take canon material and expand on it with some imagination.

"Star Trek" and its spin-offs are streaming on Paramount+.

The Romulan Star Empire (or simply, Romulan Empire) is a major galactic regional power from the 22nd through 24th centuries, encompassing the Romulan people and their subject worlds and species. The Empire is known for its xenophobic character and policies of extreme secrecy and territorial protectionism.

• Surreptitious political disruption of rivals – as in the secret relationship with V'Las of the Vulcan High Command in the 2150s, participation in the Khitomer Conspiracy of 2293, secret alliances both with the Klingons- such as in the House of Duras from the 2340s or against the Klingons, or the aborted attempt to replace key Starfleet officers with clones in the late 24th century.
• Limited, surprise or covert military action – as in the use of telepresence-operated drone-ships to spark the "Babel Crisis" among neighboring powers in 2154, a single Bird-of-Prey used to attack the Federation border and gauge its weaknesses in the Neutral Zone incursion of 2266, or the attack on the Klingon outpost at Narendra III in 2344.

The Empire did resort to open warfare when it was deemed necessary, but in typical fashion, their reasons for war were less than candidly expressed, as in the Earth-Romulan War and the enigmatic Tomed Incident of 2311. Unlike the Klingon objectives of the Federation-Klingon War (2267), Romulans do not appear to have gone to war with neighboring powers under a flag of "expansion", and no competition existed for the development of Class M worlds along the Romulan Neutral Zone. Romulans expressed little resentment for the negotiated Zone they zealously guarded, and following their conflicts, the Empire withdrew behind the safety of the buffer for many decades of self-imposed isolation from Federation affairs.

After a clone intended to replace decorated Starfleet Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Shinzon, turned on the Romulans and committed a coup in 2379, the Federation (including Picard himself) helped stop Shinzon's plans of interstellar domination. The Romulans at that point suggested that an era of warmer relations may be beginning with the Federation.

The Romulan Star Empire is ruled by the Romulan Senate, which is overseen by the Praetor. The Continuing Committee is another powerful government body the praetor presides over. In 2373, Q considered the Romulan empress as an adequate mate.

The Senate represents an oligarchy; like an authoritarian system, an oligarchy is controlled by a small group of individuals, who govern mainly in their own interest. Clearly, given Tal Shiar ubiquity, the Romulans have a dictatorship; however, relatively little is known about the Romulan civil legal system.

The political structure of the Romulan Star Empire is unknown, but it seems to be unitary, since the central governments holds all power.

The Romulan Senate has dispatched ambassadors from time to time, including Caithlin Dar to the Planet of Galactic Peace and Nanclus to the United Federation of Planets.

See the original version at Memory Alpha

The Untold Truth Of Star Trek's Romulans

Star Trek   gives good bad guy. Since  Star Trek: The Original Series'  ( TOS)  premiere in 1966, Gene Roddenberry and his colleagues have brought us lots of memorable recurring antagonists. There are the warlike Klingons, the trickster Q, and the relentless Borg — but before most of  Trek 's repeat villains came the Romulans. 

Only appearing in a few of the original series' episodes and making minor appearances in the original crew's films, the Romulans were nonetheless remembered when the  Trek  franchise was revived with  Star Trek: The Next Generation   ( TNG ). For most of their time onscreen, the Romulans have been Cold War -like opponents. They plot, they assassinate, and they threaten, but they rarely make open war on Starfleet. But when they do open fire? Well, nine times out of ten, the Romulans only let slip the proverbial dogs of war after their work in the shadows has made their victory seemingly inevitable. 

Unlike Starfleet, the Romulan military and secret agents have few moral qualms about dealing with other species, and their mercilessness helps breed paranoia within their ranks. They'll do anything to get ahead, and assume everyone they meet is just as willing. Their paranoia sometimes proves more than accurate, as even some of the most idealistic members of Starfleet have taken a break from their usual ethical high ground when dealing with the sons and daughters of Romulus. 

For more about one of  Star Trek 's oldest powers, keep reading for the untold truth of the Romulans.

Their creation was inspired by ancient Rome

According to commentary on the  TOS  season 1 Blu-ray, the idea for the Romulans came from writer Paul Schneider, who wanted worthy adversaries for Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and was inspired by the Roman Empire . 

Romulans make their first appearance in the  TOS  season 1 episode "Balance of Terror." We learn that after a bloody conflict with the Romulans, a peace treaty was forged between them and the Federation via subspace radio. The treaty establishes a neutral zone in which neither side's ships are allowed to enter. A map is displayed to the  Enterprise  crew that shows the planets Romulus and Remus on the opposite side of the zone. 

Romulus was the legendary founder of Rome. In Roman myth, Romulus and his brother Remus are born to a mortal woman, Rhea Silvia, who mates with Mars — the god of war. Left for dead by their uncle Amulius' servants, the twins are saved by a wolf. They're eventually raised by shepherds and, upon growing to adulthood and learning the truth about who they are, they kill their uncle and seek a place to start their own kingdom. There are different versions of how it happens, but at some point in the tale Romulus usually kills Remus in a dispute over where their new kingdom is to be founded. 

Considering the treachery and violence we've seen the Romulans are capable of, if nothing else Schneider picked fitting names for their worlds. 

Romulans are an offshoot of Vulcans

When the  Enterprise  first encounters Romulans, they're the first humans to actually see the race, and their physical similarities to Vulcans leaves some crew members questioning Spock's (Leonard Nimoy) loyalty. Their similar features aren't a coincidence — Romulans are an offshoot of the Vulcan species.

Centuries before the events of Star Trek  when the Vulcans begin to purge their emotions in pursuit of pure logic, not everyone plays ball. Some Vulcans reject the new ideas, and after a bloody war they leave to create their own society on Romulus and Remus. 

Romulans, however, are not   just Vulcans on a different planet. Millenia of genetic drift created many subtle variations in their physiological makeup. They still share pointed ears, but there are some obvious differences, like the prominent ridges on Romulans' foreheads. There are less obvious differences too, which Dr. Crusher learns in the  TNG  episode "The Enemy," when she unsuccessfully tries to heal an injured Romulan by treating him as if he were a Vulcan.

Predictably there are Romulans like TNG 's Sela (Denise Crosby) who feel nothing but contempt for Vulcans. But some feel a strong kinship toward their less passionate cousins. In the  TOS  episode "The Enterprise Incident," the Romulan Commander (Joanne Linville) admires and and is attracted to Spock. In the  TNG  two-parter "Unification," it's feared that Spock has defected to Romulus, when in fact he's there meeting the members of a growing movement of Romulans who wish to reunite with their Vulcan ancestors. 

One of the first onscreen Romulans was Spock's dad... kind of

If you're more familiar with the original crew movies than with  TOS , or more familiar with  TNG , then you may be surprised to learn who played the first onscreen Romulan Commander: Mark Lenard, who would later appear in "Journey to Babel" as Spock's father Sarek. Lenard reprised the role of Sarek in  TNG , in a number of the original crew movies, and even lent his voice to Sarek in  Star Trek: The Animated Series . But before he played Sarek, he played the unnamed Romulan Commander in "The Balance of Terror." 

Speaking to  Starlog  (via MyStarTrekScrapbook ) in 1984, Lenard said the Romulan Commander role was the second time he'd gone up for a part on  TOS . And while the second time proved the charm as far as getting on the series was concerned, it would take a third try before he got to meet any of the series regulars. In "Balance of Terror," all of the communication between his character and the  Enterprise  crew takes place on a viewscreen, so there was never any need for him to be in the same space. It wasn't until he returned as Sarek that he was able to meet the intrepid crew.

Lenard wasn't the only Romulan in that episode to return later as a Vulcan. Lawrence Montaigne, who plays the ambitious Romulan officer Decius in "Balance of Terror," returns as the Vulcan Stonn in season 2's "Amok Time." 

The Romulans boast a number of secret cabals

One of the reasons so many Romulans remain loyal to their government is the Tal Shiar — a powerful secret police that conducts clandestine operations both inside the Romulan Empire and against Romulus' rivals. They kidnap, torture, assassinate, and don't lose much sleep over any of it. 

The Tal Shiar is first mentioned in  TNG but becomes more visible in  Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ( DS9 ), when we witness how resilient the organization is. In the two-part DS9  story spanning "Improbable Cause" and "The Die is Cast," the Tal Shiar join forces with the Cardassians' secret police — the Obsidian Order — in a sneak attack on the Dominion. The whole thing turns out to be a trap and their fleet is decimated. The events wipe out the Obsidian Order and help lead to the overthrow of the Cardassian government. The Tal Shiar, on the other hand, are still one of the most powerful parts of the Romulan government when we meet their leader Koval (John Fleck) in the  DS9 s eason 7 episode "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges."

More recently in  Star Trek: Picard ,   we learn the Tal Shiar is a part of an older organization called the Zhat Vash — something so secret some Tal Shiar members believe it's a myth. The Zhat Vash is dedicated to wiping out all synthetic life, and it's embedded in governments all over the galaxy, including the highest ranks of Starfleet.

A favorite episode proves Starfleet isn't above using Romulan tactics

The Romulans are often depicted as unduly paranoid in contrast to the well-intentioned heroes of Starfleet. In a fan-favorite episode –  DS9 's "In the Pale Moonlight" — Starfleet proves that sometimes the Romulans should  be paranoid. 

Captain Ben Sisko (Avery Brooks) commits himself to convincing the Romulans to enter the war against the Dominion. He enlists the enigmatic Cardassian Garak (Andrew Robinson) to retrieve Dominion plans to invade Romulus. When that doesn't work out, Garak sells Sisko on the idea of creating a fake holographic record of the Dominion leaders discussing the invasion of Romulus. Sisko invites the Romulan Senator Vreenak (Joseph McHattie) to DS9 to show him the recording, but the senator sees through the lie. Not long after an enraged Vreenak leaves the station, we learn his ship has been destroyed and the Tal Shiar believes the Dominion is behind it. Sisko realizes Garak never meant for the fake holo-record to work, but instead always planned to assassinate Vreenak and pin it on the Dominion. Sisko is enraged and even attacks Garak in his shop, but in the end — because he's desperate to defeat the Dominion — he keeps the truth to himself. 

The entire story is told from Sisko's point of view as he reads it into a log entry. In the final moments of the episode, as soon as he finishes the tale, he orders the computer to delete it. 

Romulans make Star Trek's most famous beverage

Apparently, when Romulans aren't plotting to dominate the galaxy, they like to party. Sprinkled here and there throughout the  Trek  franchise is Romulan Ale — a  very  strong alcoholic drink that is illegal in the Federation, yet Starfleet officers keep getting their hands on it anyway. 

The first time the beverage is mentioned is in 1982's  Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan when Bones (DeForest Kelley) brings a bottle of it to James Kirk for his birthday. Kirk is noticeably surprised at how strong the drink is. Regardless, he somehow doesn't have a problem serving it during a diplomatic dinner aboard the  Enterprise  in 1991's  Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country — a detail that is used against him and McCoy when they're framed for assassinating the Klingon Chancellor. Ben Sisko serves what appears to be replicated Romulan Ale to a Romulan senator in the  DS9  episode "In the Pale Moonlight," though the senator refers to it as "kali fal," which may or may not be the Romulan name for the blue drink. At the wedding reception for Riker and Troi in 2002's  Star Trek: Nemesis , Worf (Michael Dorn) complains that "Romulan ale should be illegal" as he nurses a headache. "It is," Geordi (Levar Burton) reminds him.

As far back as the TOS  episode "The Enterprise Incident," the Romulan Commander shares a blue drink with Spock as she's trying to seduce him, though we never hear its name. 

In 1995, they wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas

In 1995, the Romulan Empire made its first appearance on a Hallmark commercial. No you didn't misread that. Promoting a Romulan Warbird Christmas ornament, Hallmark released a commercial depicting the pointy-eared aliens kidnapping a Hallmark cashier to interrogate her about how she'd "pirated" the design of the ornament from the Romulans. 

And they didn't just get any actors to show up in costume and makeup. The cheerful cashier's interrogators are mostly  Star Trek  actors who had already played villains on at least one  Trek  series. Martha Hackett — the Romulan woman in the commercial — is probably more well known to  Trek  fans as the Cardassian Seska on  Star Trek: Voyager . But she'd also played the Romulan officer T'Rul in the two-part  DS9  episode "The Search." The introduction of the Defiant  includes a cloaking device on loan from the Romulan Empire and it's T'Rul's job to run the cloaking device and keep its secrets from Starfleet. 

Considering neither T'Rul nor any other Romulan is shown on board the  Defiant  to safeguard their cloaking secrets after "The Search," they apparently weren't any better about protecting their secrets than they are at interrogating Hallmark cashiers.

Romulans are in lots of first drafts, but fewer final drafts

When it comes to the Trek  movies, the Romulans usually play second fiddle if   they show up at all. Romulans were the chief antagonists of J.J. Abrams' 2009  Star Trek  reboot, but before that they failed to take center stage in any of the movies. The closest they got was 2002's  Star Trek: Nemesis ; their homeworld and government are important to the plot, but the main villain is Shinzon (Tom Hardy) — a clone of Picard — and a race of former slaves called the Remans. 

But it isn't for lack of trying. The Romulans were originally meant to take a larger role in a number of  Trek  films. Remember the Klingons in 1984's  Star Trek III: The Search for Spock ,   led by the ruthless Commander Kruge (Christopher Lloyd)? According to a 2002 issue of  Star Trek: The Magazine , it was originally going to be the Romulans who clash with the  Enterprise in orbit of the Genesis planet — not Klingons. They were  originally planned as the villains for 1998's  Star Trek: Insurrection , but were ultimately replaced by the face-stretching Son'a. In Michael Piller's unpublished book Fade In , the  Trek  writer wrote that Patrick Stewart — among others — was very much against the inclusion of the Romulans, who the actor felt were "unexciting." Stewart worried that using the Romulans would make it appear as if "we just couldn't come up with any new bad guys." 

The process of turning an actor into a Romulan has evolved

The look of the Romulans, the process of creating that look, and the resources devoted to it have all changed significantly since their first appearances. In  TOS , Romulans look almost identical to Vulcans, and the cost of adding latex pointy ears to actors made them too expensive to use on background actors. On the  TOS  season 1 Blu-ray commentary, we learn that in "Balance of Terror," only two of the Romulan actors were actually given the ears while the rest of the Romulans are made to wear helmets hiding their ears.

Romulans show up a lot more once  TNG  comes around, and their reintroduction comes with a new design. Prominent brow ridges were added to Romulan prosthetics. According to the reference book  Star Trek: The Next Generation 365 , this was both to make the Romulans appear more menacing and to help differentiate them from their Vulcan cousins.

As of the 2020 premiere of  Star Trek: Picard , hi-def technology changed things. On  The Ready Room  – the  Picard  after-show — prosthetic designer Vincent Van Dyke said that "every single background performer, all the way to the foreground hero characters" not only are fitted with ears, but "laced brows." Every single Romulan actor on  Picard  wears a prosthetic piece that includes eyebrows which have been painstakingly laced — one hair at a time — into the prosthetic. Long gone are the days of fitting the extras with skullcap helmets. 

In Star Trek: Picard, the Romulans become both friends and foes

One of the unique things about  Star Trek: Picard is that while it gives us plenty of Romulan villains, we also meet possibly the most sympathetic Romulan characters to ever appear in any  Trek  production.

When we find the retired Picard running his family vineyard, he's accompanied by two Romulans who treat him like nothing less than family. Laris (Orla Brady) and Zhaban (Jamie McShane) are former Tal Shiar agents who live with Picard, cook for him and — when a Zhat Vash squad comes gunning for the retired admiral — risk their lives for him. Their loyalty springs largely from Picard's efforts to evacuate the Romulan Empire. Both are fiercely protective of Picard, particularly Laris. 

At the same time, the Romulans have not all left their more villainous impulses behind. Along with Picard's Romulan friends, the newer series introduces us to the seductive Narek (Harry Treadaway), his ruthless sister Narissa (Peyton List), and the fanatical Zhat Vash whose agents have the unsettling ability to spit out a corrosive liquid that kills both themselves and anyone unlucky enough to be nearby. 

Star Trek: Picard forces 2009's Star Trek to make more sense

One of the interesting side effects of  Star Trek: Picard and its stronger focus on the Romulans is that it manages to reach back in time and force 2009's  Star Trek to make more sense. 

A lot of fans — even those who enjoyed J.J. Abrams' reinvention of the  Trek  franchise — weren't overly impressed with Eric Bana's Nero. The Romulan villain goes into the past and, among other things, destroys Vulcan. Nero does what he does purely for vengeance, to get back at the Federation for the supernova that destroyed Romulus and killed his family. To some fans, Nero's motivations didn't add up. After all, the Romulan supernova is a natural phenomenon. How could Nero blame the Federation, the Vulcans, or anyone else for not helping, particularly when you consider how hostile the Romulans have been to, well...  everyone ? 

But with  Star Trek: Picard and the backstory it presents, Nero's quest for vengeance comes into focus. In  Picard  we learn that Starfleet committed to helping evacuate the Romulan Empire and then, after the unexpected synthetic revolt on Mars, backed out of the endeavor. From Nero's point of view, it's one thing to stand by and do nothing; it's quite another to offer help and then to withdraw it at the 11th hour. It makes Nero's rage much easier to relate to, though his actions are no less monstrous. 

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Romulans , Spock - December 8, 2022

WHO ARE THE ROMULANS? – A STAR TREK SPECIES OVERVIEW

Early Beginnings

Romulans were a humanoid species from the planet Romulus, which was the inhabited second planet of the Romulan system in Sector Z-6 of the Beta Quadrant. It was the adopted homeworld following their departure and exile from Vulcan. It was the capital planet of the Romulan Star Empire.

Romulans are descended from those who rejected Surak's reforms during the Time of Awakening during the 4 th century. Those who would become Vulcan rejected emotion and embraced logic. The minority who rejected Surak's ideals were later described as "those who march beneath the Raptor's wings". This symbol would later be used in the Romulan Star Empire. They departed Vulcan after losing the war and after the use of nuclear weapons.

This group settled on twin planets that became known as Romulus and Remus, setting the foundation of the Romulan Star Empire.

Romulus society was once a monocracy, as Q noted once. He said that at one point an Empress had ruled the planet.

Romulan Physiology

Romulans and Vulcans have a shared ancestry and so in many respects, they have similar physiology. Like Vulcans, they have the same pointed ears, arched eyebrows, and copper-based blood that appears green when exposed to oxygen, coppery when not. Romulan heart tissue is gray in color.

Some Romulans have two brow ridges above the bridge of their nose, forming a V-shape on their forehead, while others do not, which makes them hard to differentiate between Vulcans and Romulans.

They do have enough dissimilarities between them that life signs between the two races can be identified. When Spock was on a Romulan starship, Pavel Chekov of the Enterprise was able to find his signal, still with some difficulty.

Dr. Crusher, aboard the Enterprise-D, attempted to treat Patahk, a Romulan who had suffered an advanced synaptic breakdown and failed to do so because there were "subtle differences… too many of them."

Interestingly enough, there are enough genetic similarities between Klingons and Romulans that there was a ribosome treatment that worked between the two.

Society and Culture

Romulan society is a militaristic one. The core of the passionate Romulans is to protect the Empire. A rank in the military was also rank in society although the true leaders were the Romulan Senate. The chamber was led by the Praetor, who leads the Senate.

The mentality of the species is highly xenophobic and enjoyed keeping their race in isolation. They were generally seen as racist as they believed themselves to be superior to all other races. There were more than a few that believed that the Empire would rule the entire galaxy and that humankind would not be there to impede them.

Men and Women in society were equals, being able to hold all positions in leadership and on starships.

With the split with Vulcans and their rejection of the teaching of Surak, Romulans do not have the emotional control and suppression that Vulcans do. They instead developed a highly devious nature that leaves the race hard to trust.

Disliking weakness, the culture developed a tolerance to allow weaker, defective infants to perish, keeping them from being a burden on their society.

Romulans have three names; one for outsiders, one for family, and a true name for the one they gave their hearts to. 

A traditional home had a false front door and the home’s true entrance was located in the back. Romulan sensibilities tell that one should never enter through the main door - victims enter the front door, the back door is for co-conspirators. So, all Romulan homes have a fake "main" door that everyone can enter through. The the back door is just as grand and ornate as any main door.

The Tal Shiar was the ruthless intelligence arm of the government. The Federation described them as the Romulan secret police. Their purpose was to ensure loyalty and to imprison or kill those who defied them. This totalitarian nature for the society, along with hidden security officers even mingling in crowds (to weed out any dissent) made the general populace paranoid.

By the 24 th century, the unification movement had gained more mainstream acceptance, with Ambassador Spock being at the center of driving it. Unification would be achieved after the destruction of Romulus.

Interactions with the Galaxy

Romulan spies infiltrated the highest levels of the Vulcan High Command, keeping tabs on their enemy. In the 22nd century, the Romulans studied the Humans that the Vulcans had interacted with. They were impressed but confused by Human behavior.

Captain Archer’s work of diplomacy ended many of the conflicts between other races, upsetting the Romulans. They then started to sow seeds to destabilize the quadrant.

An attempt to blame a group of Vulcans for this destabilization led to the exposure of the Romulans and their agents.

When the truth was discovered, war broke and lasted from 2156 until 2160. The Battle of Cheron in 2160 was the decisive battle that marked the end of the war. With the combination of the allies of Humans, Andorians, Vulcans, and Tellerites, the coalition was able to deal a humiliating defeat to the Romulan military. This defeat haunted the Romulan Empire well into the 24 th century.

The negotiations to end the war were done via subspace radio and it would be another century before Humans would actually see what Romulans looked like.

When the Treaty of Algeron went into effect, Romulans isolated themselves socially and politically from the Federation. A neutral zone was established with eight outposts along each side to monitor the border.

In late 2364, An unprovoked attack on a Romulan outpost occurred near the Federation Neutral Zone. While the Romulans suspected it was the Federation, further investigation showed that the species that would later be known as the Borg was most likely responsible. After this discovery, the years of Romulan isolation came to an end.

The Romulans soon established several embassies on Federation planets, with two of them on Earth. They also had an alliance with the Klingons until a series of incidents including the Khitomer Massacre.. A Romulan attack on the Khitomer Colony that out of 4,000 settlers left only two survivors, one of them being Worf of the Enterprise-D . Klingons passionately hated the Romulans and considered them their nemesis.

The Romulans allowed Cardassia to establish an embassy on Romulus. Their diplomatic relations were good until Cardassia entered the Dominion War.

Despite the Klingon hatred for them, Romulans still hated Vulcans more than any other species. They fought for over 100 years in a war that was the result of a Q and their attempt to kill themselves. After the war, the distrust and hate continued to fester and each time it was attempted, unification would fail.

In 2387, the Romulan sun went supernova. Ambassador Spock attempted to save the sun from exploding using  red matter and failed. A  Romulan mining vessel nearby followed the Ambassador's ship into the gravitational anomaly created by the failure and affected an alternative reality.

Romulans reached out for help as their sun went supernova. Admiral Jean-Luc Picard was selected to lead a fleet of ships to rescue them. However, before launch, the ships were destroyed by a group of rogue androids on Mars. Starfleet withdrew the mission and betrayed the Romulans, leaving many to die. Picard resigned from Starfleet in protest.

After the destruction of their planet, some surviving Romulans became political and organized as the Romulan Free State.

Spock’s dream of reunification did eventually happen though. Vulcan was renamed Ni’Var . Instrumental in creating the trust needed to bridge their misunderstandings was the Qowat Milat, an order of Romulan warrior nuns.

After the Burn, the Romulans on Ni'Var passionately pleaded with their Vulcan counterparts to stay with the Federation but were overruled.

What is known is that the two very different species can once again co-exist on the planet of their birth once more.

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Published Aug 21, 2016

The Mystery Ally of the Dominion War

The Son'a are among our many suspects.

StarTrek.com | Shutterstock/Pikovit, Yaroslav Vitkovskiy

Any Star Trek: Deep Space Nine aficionado familiar with the Dominion War can tell you that the conflict took place between the Federation Alliance (the United Federation of Planets, Klingon Empire and Romulan Star Empire) and the Dominion, Cardassian Union, Breen Confederacy, and Son'a Command. However, would that answer be correct? Following Damar's defection, the Dominion installed Legate Broca as the new leader of the Cardassian Union. When the Female Changeling recommended falling back to Cardassia to regroup in the DS9 episode "The Dogs of War," Weyoun theorized the Federation would be timid and leave them alone. Broca replied, "But what about the Klingons, and the Romulans, and...," at which point he was cut off. Was Broca about to mention an as yet unnamed member of the Federation Alliance? If so, who could it be?

In the episode "Valiant," Jake Sisko believed that Starfleet was sending Nog to visit the Grand Nagus of the Ferengi Alliance to deliver a proposal which would allow the Ferengi to side with the Federation. While the mission was sidetracked in that particular episode, were further attempts to bring the Ferengi into the war made? And were they successful? After all, the Dominion had previously taken Grand Nagus Zek's lover Ishka hostage, and the outcome of the war would influence systems throughout the region. It is possible that these factors convinced the Ferengi that aligning with the Federation would be more beneficial (and profitable) than remaining neutral.

The Son'a were known to manufacture ketracel-white for the Dominion's Jem'Hadar soldiers at some of their colonies, including at Devos II. Did the events of Star Trek: Insurrection convince the Son'a to switch sides? While their reunification with the Ba'ku might provide excellent motivation to ally with the Federation, the evidence to support such a move is not as clear. The mention of ketracel-white production for the Dominion on Devos II in "Penumbra" occurs after the events of Insurrection . It is also possible that Devos II was one of only a few Son'a colonies to continue their support of the Dominion, or that the Dominion had subjugated the colony and forced them to produce the much-needed drug.

Bajor signed a non-aggression pact with the Dominion prior to the Second Battle of Deep Space Nine , but the planet did so only at the urging of Captain Sisko. The Federation retook the Bajoran station following Operation Return, and afterward DS9 served as a critical base for the Federation Alliance. Most importantly, it was revealed in " Image in the Sand " that the Bajorans had allowed a Romulan military hospital to be built on one of the many Bajoran moons. The Bajorans clearly sided with their Emissary and the Federation, but their small fleet of starships were very limited in their capabilities. It is unlikely that the Dominion ever mentioned them in the same breath as military equals with the Federation, Klingons and Romulans.

The Dominion retreat to the Cardassian system came soon after Damar revolted and created the Cardassian Liberation Front. The Cardassian rebels launched several successful attacks and seemed to be on the cusp of causing more problems for the Dominion. However, Damar was betrayed, and the Dominion announced they'd crushed the rebellion by destroying their bases. That announcement came several scenes before Broca's remarks about Federation allies in "The Dogs of War." Since the rebellion was considered by the Dominion to be at an end, and the Cardassian fleet had yet to switch to the Federation's side, Broca was probably not going to mention the Cardassian Liberation Front as a Federation ally. The worry that more Cardassian soldiers and citizens could be drawn to the rebel cause was a concern for the Dominion, but as with the small Bajoran military, the Dominion did not anticipate entire fleets of starships eventually siding with the Federation Alliance.

Odo mentioned that the Tholians and Miradorn, like the Romulans and Bajorans, signed non-aggression pacts with the Dominion in "Call to Arms." When it appeared as if the Dominion betrayed their pact with the Romulans, it is possible it jeopardized the stability of their pacts with the Tholians and Miradorn. A Changeling was responsible for the death of a Tholian observer during a bombing at the Antwerp Conference in "Homefront," but that did not prevent the signing of their pact over a year later. Neither the Tholians nor the Miradorn merited mentions after "Call to Arms," so their treaties with the Dominion may have remained in place.

Little is known about the mysterious Tzenkethi race, except that they had previous disputes with the Federation and lived in a region of space near DS9. The Dominion sent a Changeling to infiltrate the Defiant and eradicate a Tzenkethi colony in order to create another rift between the Federation and Tzenkethi in "The Adversary." The plot was unsuccessful, but it remains unknown if knowledge of the events became public or were provided to the Tzenkethi. Their proximity to DS9 and possible awareness of the Dominion plot may have inclined the Tzenkethi to forget their previous animosities with the Federation and join the fight against the Dominion.

The potential exists that the mystery ally was a never-before-mentioned species, or even a lesser power like the Orions, Gorn or Nausicaans. The Orion Syndicate collaborated with the Dominion in "Honor Among Thieves," but the stance of the official Orion government was unknown. Following Captain Kirk's fight with the Gorn captain, little indication was given about the status of Gorn-Federation relations, other than the fact that a human colony existed on the formerly contested planet in the 2370s. Nausicaans were well-known mercenaries, but the series never explored their government. However, it would make sense for Orion, Gorn, or Nausicaan starships to be absent from scenes of the Federation Alliance fleets, since their own militaries may have been too small to contribute to the war's major battles.

Considering the information above, the two most likely candidates are the Ferengi and Tholians. Enough incentive existed for either government to enter the war, despite the fact that neither was directly mentioned or depicted as being part of the Federation Alliance. In addition to the Dominion's capture of the Ferengi leader's lover, the Federation actively courted the Ferengi as allies. The Tholians had a nonaggression pact with the Dominion, but tensions over the murdered Tholian diplomat and the dissolution of the Dominion's pacts with Romulus and Bajor could have eroded this relationship. Quark, Rom, or Nog would've almost certainly mentioned any Federation-Ferengi pact in dialogue at some point if one had been established, so if forced to choose, my guess is that the mystery ally was inevitably the Tholian race.

Who do you believe it was?

Jay Stobie is a science fiction writer who admits he has a perfectly normal obsession with Star Trek. He can be found on Twitter at @CaptStobie.

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Star Trek: 5 Impressive Things Spock Did Before Joining The USS Enterprise

Star trek: 8 times the klingons were dishonorable, star trek: 7 most iconic ships in the franchise, quick links, how are romulan and klingon starships similar, did the klingons and romulans have a military alliance, have klingon and romulan ships ever fought in star trek.

• The Romulan and Klingon empires are the major forces in the Beta Quadrant and have a long history of complex relations with the Federation and each other.
• Both empires utilize cloaking technology, and this is vital to understanding their interactions, alliances, and military strategies.
• While there have been many skirmishes between Romulan and Klingon ships, hardly any conflicts have been depicted on screen.

Fans of Star Trek who grew up with The Next Generation or later series may think they know the relationship between Romulans and Klingons inside out. It’s not good, with the two species even called “blood enemies.” That phrase was painfully illustrated in the third season TNG episode, ‘The Enemy,’ in which Lieutenant Worf refused to grant a life-saving blood transfusion to a Romulan, and the dying Romulan wasn’t willing to accept it. Things were bad, but that’s not the whole story of two alien races who have been a significant part of Star Trek since the beginning.

The Federation sits precisely between the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, with the Romulans and Klingons their dominant neighbors on the Beta Quadrant . History suggests that relations between the two are influenced by how either gets on with the Federation. Still, details of conflict and alliances are surprisingly rare. As Star Trek has jumped periods, the canon has scooted around the issue at impulse power, filling in but also contradicting events. However, what evidence there is that a link exists between the two is mainly found in the two empires’ space fleets.

6 Most Powerful Weapons In Star Trek History, Ranked

Star Trek's rich lore has introduced fans to countless pieces of technology—including extremely powerful weapons capable of great destruction.

Fans first encountered the Romulans in a thrilling early episode of the Original Serie s. ‘Balance of Terror’ referenced a devastating Human-Romulan War in the 22nd century, but this was the first time the races had ever seen each other. The explanation was a lack of viewscreen technology during the war, an idea prequels have struggled with in the decades since.

The episode was a memorably taut game of cat and mouse between the Enterprise and a Romulan Bird of Prey that would heavily influence Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and even be replayed in a parallel timeline in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . One of the most memorable parts was the Romulan ship , which sported a stunning full mural of a bird on its ventral hull. Its threat wasn’t in doubt, having destroyed several Federation outposts, and its markings and agility immediately associated the Roman Star Empire with predatory birds.

Star Trek: Most Powerful Klingon Starships, Ranked

The Klingons have been a force to be reckoned with at every stage of Star Trek's long franchise history, but which are their very best ships?

Klingons wouldn’t appear for another 12 episodes, and their ships weren’t seen until Season 3’s ‘Day of the Dove’ (although recent remasters have added them to earlier episodes). However, the eye-catching D7 battlecruiser featured a long neck and wings, becoming a design classic and earning an origin in Star Trek: Discovery .

While the D7 design resembled a bird, it was still a surprise when the Romulans were shown to be using the ships in the third season of the Original Series . As Spock quickly explains in ‘The Enterprise Incident,’ “Intelligence reports Romulans now using a Klingon design.” The giveaway on the Romulan variants of the D7 was red and yellow feather motifs on the grey hull.

Star Trek: 10 Best Klingon Stories

The Klingons are among the most iconic aliens of the Star Trek franchise, and these episodes show them at their best.

After the leap to movie theaters, a new design of Klingon ship debuted in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock before it took a vital role in the classic time-traveling installment that followed. Commanded by Kruge, it was a new green Bird of Prey, but it wasn’t Romulan. This iconic new design was to become the Klingon Empire’s most ubiquitous ship well into the 24th century of The Next Generation .

When the Romulans roared back at the end of TNG ’s first season, it was hard not to see their new ship as a statement. By the time of ‘The Neutral Zone,’ the Romulans had been in isolation for over 50 years, but they hadn’t stopped working on their fleet. When it uncloaked, the gigantic Romulan D'deridex-class Warbird dwarfed the Enterprise-D and would become the intimidating lynchpin of their space fleet over the following decade.

Star Trek: Romulan Neutral Zone, Explained

The Romulan Neutral Zone has always been a point of conflict within Star Trek, so what was the purpose of creating it in the first place?

The Romulan Warbird gained a fascinating new perspective when Enterprise introduced a previously unknown Klingon Warbirds in the 22nd century. These appeared during the pilot ‘Broken Bow,’ which recounted the problematic first contact with the Klingon Empire and would appear in the Kobayashi Maru scenario of the Kelvin timeline.

By the 24th century, when Deep Space Nine showed us more of the Romulan and Klingon fleets than ever, the two species were sworn enemies, and the strange crossover in technology and ship naming conventions remained unexplained. However, in the rich fabric of Star Trek , there are plenty of answers to be found.

During Deep Space Nine , the threat of the Dominion forced an alliance between the Federation, Klingons, and Romulans. However, it doesn’t appear to be the first time the great powers of the Beta Quadrant found an advantage in working together. Aside from the designs and names of their ships, the two were united by their use of cloaking devices. While Klingons often dismiss the Romulans as untrustworthy, that technology is too good to overlook and allows the warrior race to pounce on its prey.

Fans saw cloaking technology firsthand through the Klingons thanks to the Bird of Prey that Kirk and crew commandeered when they time-traveled back to 1986 in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home .

For years, it was generally accepted that Romulans pioneered cloaking technology. ‘Balance of Terror’ was considered Starfleet’s first proper encounter with cloaking technology, but prequel series haven’t been able to avoid diluting or contradicting this. The reputation stood in the 24th century when the Romulans allowed the USS Defiant to be kitted with a cloaking device from Deep Space Nine ’s third season.

Star Trek: Enterprise – What Happened To T'Pol?

T'Pol played one of the most important roles in Star Trek: Enterprise. So, what became of her after the mission was over?

Enterprise revealed several enemies had used cloaking technology during Starfleet’s formative years. The shows’ creators have expressed regret they let the tech creep into the Romulan arsenal in the 22nd century, but Star Trek Discovery also raised questions when it showed Klingons using cloaking technology as early as 2256.

There has been plenty of evidence that Klingon and Romulan cloaking technology differs. That’s covered perceived Romulan superiority with the technology, the level of imperfection when cloaks are active, and even, as mentioned in Deep Space Nine , the weight of the device. Still, it’s central to any idea of a Romulan-Klingon pact. It was an infiltration mission to gain access to the Romulans’s powerful new and improved cloaking technology in ‘The Enterprise Incident’ that first revealed Romulans using ships of Klingon design. Expanded universe information has been keen to reinforce that link.

Star Trek: Klingon Starships, Explained

The franchise's most iconic proud warrior race comes to battle with a wide variety of spacefaring vessels.

In Star Trek V: The Final Frontier , it’s revealed that the Klingons, Romulans, and Federation established a joint colony on Nimbus III in the spirit of “galactic peace" in 2267. It clearly worked out better for two of the parties, given that this was just one year before ‘The Enterprise Incident.’

The Star Trek: The Next Generation Technical Journal states that the Romulans traded a cloaking device with the Klingons in exchange for several D7 cruisers. The Klingon Bird-of-Prey Owner's Workshop Manual expands on that, suggesting that cloaking was rolled out through the Klingon fleet after the exchange (explaining why Klingons don’t demonstrate the ability during the Original Series ), but that the technology diverged after the alliance collapsed.

We saw that Klingons had solved the power problems that prevented firing under cloak by the time of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (2293). The Romulans wouldn’t demonstrate the same ability until the Reman takeover of the Romulan Star Empire revealed the gigantic warbird Scimitar in Star Trek: Nemesis (2379).

Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 1 Ending, Explained

After a challenging first year, Star Trek: The Next Generation ended with a menacing sign of things to come.

If there was a deal before the third season of the Original Series , it seemed stacked in the Klingon empire’s favor. However, prequel series suggest it was unlikely to be the first time the technology was shared. As the Romulan Star Empire’s primary goal has always been to disrupt and delay the expansion of the Federation in the Beta Quadrant, it’s understandable they would have explored all options since humanity achieved warp flight and drew links to the Vulcans.

The real reasons behind similarities and gaps in explanation were far more prosaic. There’s some suggestion that any fourth season of the Original Series would have explored the idea of a Klingon and Romulan alliance, and when that didn’t happen fans were just left with heavy hints.

On the big screen, the similarity was down to a last-minute change of villain. The Search For Spock seemed readymade for the Romulans, as the movie saw the rescue of the most famous Vulcan, and it would have been a great precursor to later storylines about reunification between the two races in TNG and Discovery . However, director Leonard Nimoy, the first cast member to direct Star Trek , favored the more theatrical Klingons as the film’s threat. It was to be a starring moment for the warrior race after their new aesthetic and forehead ridges were introduced in a cameo at the beginning of Star Trek: The Motion Picture .

Spock is one of the Star Trek franchise's most iconic characters. His successes go beyond just his time with the USS Enterprise.

The film seized the chance to add a new dimension to its villains. The new-look Klingons were set in stone by Christopher Lloyd’s Commander Kruge, and the Romulans were forgotten. The Klingon Bird of Prey remained. Decked in green with swooping wings, it was well-named but a leftover from earlier scripts that set up the Romulans as foes.Writer Harve Bennett suggested he deliberately kept the ship’s name after picking up on the plot point of technology sharing in the Original Series .

The writers can take the blame for the Klingon Warbird that appeared early in Enterprise, too. Braga confirmed to Star Trek magazine that it was a writer mix-up, where Bird of Prey had been intended, but Warbird made it to the shooting script.

The show has never shown us a war between the empires on the scale or reputation of the Human-Romulan or Federation-Klingon war. But skirmishes have been mentioned. In the Deep Space Nine episode ‘Blood Oath,’ Kor recalls a memorable victory over the Romulans at the Battle of Klach D'kel Brakt in 2271, suggesting any Romulan-Klingon pact during the Original Series can’t have lasted long. The subsequent inconsistent mentions of conflict are most easily explained by a series of on-off alliances.

In the TNG episode ‘Reunion,’ Geordi La Forge mentions that the Romulans and Klingons saw each other as "blood enemies" by 2292. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country , set a year after that date, saw the Romulans attempt to sabotage the Khitomer Accords between the Federation and Klingon Empire that would lead to the alliance of the 24th century. That was another failed plot by the Romulans that only helped Earth form alliances against them.

The Klingons are a mighty species in Star Trek who believe in honor above all else, but what of the times some Klingons are dishonorable?

Subsequent skirmishes recorded in canon include the Romulan attack on a Klingon colony on Khitomer that killed Worf’s parents. The Enterprise’s Security Officer suggests that the attack went some way to painting Romulans as traitors as they were still considered allies in 2346. Three decades later, TNG ’s season 5 revealed that the Romulans were purposefully seeking to influence the Klingon civil war.

Star Trek history would throw disaster at both the Klingons and Romulans, forever changing their role in the galaxy. The destabilization caused by the destruction of the moon Praxis forged the way for an alliance between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. A century later, the destruction of Romulus would inadvertently create the Kelvin timeline and set up the galaxy for the time of Star Trek: Picard . The galaxy remains unpredictable, including the relationship between the two great empires of the Beta Quadrant.

A franchise that centers on space travel is bound to have some iconic space-faring vehicles. Just what are the most recognizable Star Trek ships?

• Movies & TV

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A friendly reminder regarding spoilers ! At present the expanded Trek universe is in a period of major upheaval with the continuations of Discovery and Prodigy , the advent of new eras in gaming with the Star Trek Adventures RPG , Star Trek: Infinite and Star Trek Online , as well as other post-57th Anniversary publications such as the ongoing IDW Star Trek comic and spin-off Star Trek: Defiant . Therefore, please be courteous to other users who may not be aware of current developments by using the {{ spoiler }}, {{ spoilers }} OR {{ majorspoiler }} tags when adding new information from sources less than six months old (even if it is minor info). Also, please do not include details in the summary bar when editing pages and do not anticipate making additions relating to sources not yet in release. THANK YOU

• Beta Quadrant states

Romulan Republic

• View history

The Republic was formed in 2409 by Romulan and Reman refugees and resistance fighters, opposed to the totalitarian, secretive "old regime" of Empress Sela , and favoring peace with the Romulans' traditional enemies, the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire . D'Tan , the leader of the unification movement that favors the Romulan people one day rejoining their Vulcan cousins, served as Proconsul of the new republic, aided by Reman Resistance leader Obisek .

The Republic's chief enemies were the Tal Shiar , the Star Empire's dreaded secret police, their Elachi allies, and the Tholian Assembly , which captured Republic ships and held them in drydocks in the Azure Nebula . Hirogen hunters, hired by Sela as mercenaries, had also been reported on New Romulus and in surrounding sectors. ( STO missions : " New Romulus Aid ", " Patrol the Tau Dewa Sector Block ", " Azure Nebula Rescue ")

Captains in service to the Republic also served alongside either Federation or Klingon forces as they served in defense of their new nation. ( STO video game : Legacy of Romulus )

• 1.1 Foundation
• 1.2 Settlement and defence
• 1.3 Alliance
• 2.2 Foreign relations
• 3.1 Ranks and titles
• 3.2.1 Auxiliary craft classes
• 3.2.2 Starship classes
• 4.1 Planets and systems
• 5.1 Connections
• 5.2 External links

History [ ]

Foundation [ ].

The Romulan Republic was spearheaded by D'Tan, leader of the Romulan unificationists and former disciple of Ambassador Spock . It sought freedom from Empress Sela's regime and peaceful relations with other species, including the Remans. ( STO mission : " Beginning of a New Future ") Portions of the Romulan Star Navy rebelled against the Tal Shiar's excessive power and followed D'Tan, whom they elected as their leader, to the Tau Dewa sector block in search for a new homeworld for the Romulan people. Their assembled ships formed a base known as the Romulan Flotilla . The military was called the Romulan Republican Force , or RRF. ( STO missions : " Flight from Virinat ", " Explore the Flotilla ")

D'Tan, in his role as the proconsul of the Romulan Republic, sought allies and sent out RRF ships to invite Romulan colonies to join their efforts. ( STO missions : " Eplore the Flotilla ", " The Helix ", " Gasko Blues ") That included offering an olive branch to the Remans, which they accepted after the Tal Shiar begun a genocidal campaign against their species. ( STO missions : " Crossroads at Crateris ", " New Romulus Aid ") While planetary governments were wary of joining, individual refugees and disillusioned Star Navy officers helped to fill the ranks. ( STO missions : " Flight from Virinat ", " The Helix ", " Sphere of Influence ")

Main objectives for the young state were to seek allies and a new homeworld to settle upon. ( STO missions : " The Search for New Romulus ", " Turning Point ") Starfleet assisted in surveying the Tau Dewa sector block in search for a viable homeworld, dispatching the USS Huxley . ( Star Trek Online website: Season 7 Dev Blog #13 ) When RRF officers explored Dewa III , the planet was deemed suitable for colonization and defended against Tholian trespassers. ( STO mission : " The Search for New Romulus ")

Settlement and defence [ ]

Dewa III had been unclaimed because of high rates of radiation . By 2409, the radiation was diminished to such a degree that, with proper medication, continuous habitation was possible. The New Romulans dubbed the planet Mol'Rihan (New Romulus) and begun with the construction of a city and orbital facilities. Of paramount scientific interest were the local fauna and the remains of the two prior civilizations inhabiting the planet. D'Tan sought to bury the distrust between the Romulan and Reman peoples, and the leader of the Reman Resistance, Obisek , agreed to join forces. Along with the Romulans, the Remans begun to settle down on New Romulus. The Romulan Republic invited their allies, the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire , to participate in the effort of consolidating and exploring New Romulus. ( STO mission : " Beginning of a New Future ")

During the colonization, New Romulus became the target for numerous attacks by hostile governments. The Tal Shiar operated from secret bases and harassed RRF, Starfleet and KDF officers as well as civilians, seeking to sabotage the colonization efforts. For that purpose, they contracted Hirogen mercenaries, which hunted the New Romulans. In addition to these, the Tholians were interested in the technological remains of the Dewans and Iconians found on and beneath the planet's surface. ( STO mission : " Beginning of a New Future ") At one point, the Elachi sent a massive invasion force in order to subdue the New Romulans. It was defeated by the combined efforts of RRF, KDF and Starfleet. ( STO mission : " Devil's Choice ")

After the Tal Shiar forces on the planet were crippled and the Tholians defeated, the New Romulan government took advantage of the archaeological wealth of their world and begun to reactive an Iconian gateway . When it suffered a malfunction because of Iconian sabotage, its deactivation by a team of RRF, KDF and Starfleet officers led by Ambassador Worf led to the reemergence of the entire Iconian gateway network. The emergence of the Jouret gateway in the Jouret system was considered as important as the discovery of the Bajoran wormhole . ( STO missions : " New Romulus: Mountain Base ", " New Romulus: The Power Source ", " Sphere of Influence ")

Alliance [ ]

Exploration of the Jouret gateway would lead to the discovery of the Solanae Dyson Sphere and the discovery of a group of Voth who sought to claim the Dyson sphere for themselves. To this end, the Romulan Republic formed an alliance with the KDF and Starfleet to explore and defend the sphere, Dyson Joint Commmand . ( STO mission : " Circles Within Circles ") With the aid of a turncoat Voth archaeologist named Nelen Exil, the alliance learned of the Voth's plans to harness Omega particles . When Rear Admiral Tuvok sent a distress signal from a station orbiting Delta Solanae , the Republic dispatched a starship to rescue the trapped admiral and shut down the Dyson sphere's jumping capabilities. In the process, a second gate was opened, leading to the Jenolan Dyson Sphere . When the Romulan Republic tried to take custody of this sphere, both Starfleet and the KDF protested - the Jenolan Dyson Sphere had been Starfleet's property for over 40 years and the KDF was tired of everyone else having their own amazing technology, leading to Tuvok to propose a summit over this problem. ( STO mission : " A Step Between Stars ")

In January 2410 , Tuvok organized the summit in the Jenolan Dyson Sphere. The proceedings were interrupted when the Undine attacked Allied core worlds in the Beta Quadrant . Starfleet, the KDF and the RRF joined forces to repel the invasion, and the success of the effort led to the creation of the Jenolan Accords , which ended the Federation-Klingon War of 2405-2410 and led to the foundation of the Alpha Quadrant Alliance . ( STO missions : " Surface Tensions ", " Escalation ")

Politics [ ]

The head of government was the Proconsul of the Romulan Republic . D'Tan, former leader of the unificationists, was the first proconsul. The seat of government was the first city build on the surface after its relocation from the Romulan flotilla. ( STO missions : " The Search for New Romulus ", " Beginning of a New Future ")

The idea for the breakaway state was spawned by the Reunification Movement , which sought reunification with the Vulcan people when the Romulans had reformed themselves, shedding their former ways of secrecy and deceit. To achieve that, they also invited the Remans to join as equals. When the Reman Resistance succeeded in gaining their freedom from the Star Empire, they joined forces with the Romulan Republic. ( STO missions : " Cutting the Cord ", " Darkness before the Dawn ", " Beginning of a New Future ") Refugees from the formerly Star Empire-supported Crateris colony agreed to resettle on New Romulus as well. ( STO mission : " Crossroads at Crateris ")

Foreign relations [ ]

The Romulan Republic was formally allied with the United Federation of Planets and the Klingon Empire. It maintained diplomatic relations with both governments and a technology exchange was in place. ( STO mission : " Neutral No More ") It was on friendly terms with the Acamarian Sovereignty and the Suliban . ( STO missions : " Acamar System Patrol ", " The Helix ") There were no formal relations with the Deferi , however. ( STO mission : " Cold Call ")

The Republic was at odds with the Tal Shiar-led Romulan Star Empire, the Tholian Assembly, the Elachi, the True Way Alliance and the Devidians . ( STO missions : " Flight from Virinat ", " The Search for New Romulus ", " Installation 18 ", " Skirmish ") The Republic was also a major target of Iconian aggression during the Iconian War , to the point that some observers speculated the Republic was targeted with more frequency than their Federation and Klingon allies.

Military [ ]

The bulk of the military equipment was re-purposed material from the Romulan Star Navy. ( STO mission : " Explore the Flotilla ") However, the military soon begun to build ships of their own. The first new starship class developed by the Romulan Republican Force in the New Romulus Shipyards was the Ar'Kif -class tactical warbird . ( STO website: Legacy of Romulus Dev Blog #43 )

The RRF had its own uniform. Its ranks were reminiscent the Star Navy. Of the Republican allies, both Starfleet and the KDF offered ships, officers and material. ( STO missions : " Flight from Virinat ", " Explore the Flotilla ", " Neutral No More ")

For its ships, the Republican Force used the standard prefix RRW (Romulan Republican Warbird). All of its ships were considered warbirds. Other available prefixes included ARW (Allied Romulan Warbird) for Romulan ships acquired from the mirror universe and USS as well as IKS for ships received from the Republic's allies. ( STO mission : " Neutral No More ")

As of 2409, the leader of the military was Admiral Kererek . The military headquarters were on New Romulus. The first and current flagship of the RRF was the Tulwar -class RRW Lleiset . ( STO missions : " Beginning of a New Future ", " Sphere of Influence ")

Ranks and titles [ ]

Ranks of the Romulan Republican Force:

• sublieutenant
• subcommander
• vice admiral
• fleet admiral

Starship classes [ ]

The RRF initially relied on designs developed by the Romulan Star Empire but later began to build ships of their own. ( STO website : Legacy of Romulus Dev Blog #43 )

Auxiliary craft classes [ ]

• Scorpion -class fighter
• Tiercel -class shuttlecraft
• Kestrel -class runabout
• Jarok -class commander's gig
• Talon -class commander's gig
• T'liss -class light warbird
• T'varo -class light warbird
• Dhael -class warbird ( Dhelan variant)
• Valdore -class heavy warbird ( Mogai variant)
• Ar'Kala -class tactical warbird ( Ar'Kif variant)
• D'ridthau -class warbird battle cruiser ( D'deridex variant)
• Ha'feh -class assault warbird
• Ha'nom -class guardian warbird
• Daeinos -class heavy destroyer
• R'Mor -class temporal science vessel (salvaged from the 29th century )
• Talvath -class temporal destroyer (salvaged from the 29th century mirror universe )
• Haakona -class advanced warbird ( Ha'apax variant)
• Falchion -class dreadnought warbird ( Scimitar variant)
• Tulwar -class dreadnought warbird ( Scimitar variant; flagship class)
• Caprimul -class destroyer ( Aves variant)
• Harpia -class destroyer ( Aves variant)
• Tyton -class destroyer ( Aves variant)
• Aelahl -class warbird light battle cruiser
• Faeht -class intel warbird

Territory [ ]

The Romulan Republic was situated in the Tau Dewa sector block but sought to expand into the territory of the Romulan Star Empire. ( STO mission : " Eplore the Flotilla ") With the reactivation of the Iconian gateway network, the Republic gained access to the Solanae Dyson Sphere in the Delta Quadrant . ( STO mission : " Sphere of Influence ")

Planets and systems [ ]

• Jouret system
• Beta Thoridor planet
• New Romulus
• Galorndon Core system
• Gamma Eridon system
• Nequencia Alpha system
• Pheben system

Appendices [ ]

Connections [ ], external links [ ].

• Republic Romulan Republic article at The Star Trek Online Wiki .
• 1 Ferengi Rules of Acquisition
• 2 Odyssey class
• 3 Akira class

Romulan Senate

• View history

The Romulan Senate chamber (2379)

Inside the Senate chamber (2379)

The Romulan Senate building seen in the background (2154)

The Romulan Senate , or the Romulan Imperial Senate , was the main governing body of the Romulan Star Empire , seated in the Hall of State on the planet Romulus . The Senate was headed by the praetor , followed by the proconsul , the vice-proconsul , and finally the senators . The Senate did not sit on the third day of the Romulan week . It worked on a timetable that was difficult to predict. ( TNG : " Unification I "; VOY : " Eye of the Needle ")

After a combined Tal Shiar - Obsidian Order fleet entered the Gamma Quadrant on a mission to wipe out the Founders , the Tal Shiar sent a message to the Senate that explained its actions. The Senate released a statement explaining that it had no previous knowledge of the Tal Shiar's plans and claimed it was exploring options to stop them. ( DS9 : " The Die is Cast ")

Chairman Koval of the Tal Shiar often claimed that there was a Federation spy in the Senate to deflect suspicion from himself, the Federation's operative in the Romulan government. ( DS9 : " Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges ")

The death of Senator Vreenak led to the Romulans declaring war on the Dominion . Vreenak had been one of the most ardently pro-Dominion members of the Senate. ( DS9 : " In the Pale Moonlight ")

Several senators traveled to the front lines of the Dominion War , to represent the interests of the Senate. Senators such as Letant and Kimara Cretak represented the Romulan Empire on Deep Space 9 . ( DS9 : " Tears of the Prophets ", " Image in the Sand ", " Shadows and Symbols ", " Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges ")

Following the Star Empire's placement of plasma torpedo launchers to protect its hospital on Derna , the Federation sent a formal protest to the Senate. The Senate retorted with a protest of its own. ( DS9 : " Shadows and Symbols ")

In 2379 , all but one member of the Romulan Senate were assassinated by Shinzon of Remus , who gained support from the Romulan military and declared himself Praetor. Following that incident, Captain Jean-Luc Picard expressed his gratitude to Shinzon for allowing him to be the first Federation officer to set foot on the floor of the Romulan Senate. The Senate was reconvened after Shinzon's death and the defeat of his Reman insurrection. ( Star Trek Nemesis )

The Senate ceased to exist after the destruction of Romulus in 2387 . ( Star Trek ; PIC : " Absolute Candor ")

Members [ ]

• See : Romulan Senate members

See also [ ]

• Continuing Committee
• Ni'Var Government

Appendices [ ]

Apocrypha [ ].

Long before the first canon reference to the Romulan Senate, Diane Duane had mentioned it in her 1983 novel My Enemy, My Ally .

External link [ ]

• Imperial Senate of the Romulan Star Empire at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works

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Star trek: discovery season 5 episode 8 ending explained.

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Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 Returning Cast & New Character Guide

Star trek: discovery’s breen go too far beyond other enemy alien ships, every love story in star trek: discovery season 5 (old & new).

WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 8, "Labyrinths".

• Moll orchestrates a coup to become the new leader of the Breen Imperium in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 8.
• Burnham sacrifices the Progenitors' treasure clue to save the Eternal Archive in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 8.
• Burnham faces her fears and earns the final clue in an intense mindscape test in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 8.

At the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 8, "Labyrinths", Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) is forced to hand over vital information to the Breen Imperium, setting up a thrilling two-part finale. Discovery season 5, episode 8, "Labyrinths", written by Lauren Wilkinson & Eric J. Robbins, and directed by Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour, sees Burnham complete one final test to acquire the coordinates for where the Progenitors' treasure is hidden. While Burnham navigates the labyrinths of her mind, the USS Discovery, Commander Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie) and Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) protect Michael and the Eternal Archive from attacking Breen forces.

With Moll (Eve Harlow) now in the custody of the Breen Imperium in the wake of the events of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 7 , "Erigah", she begins manipulating the political situation for her own ends. Proving that Moll will stop at nothing to resurrect her dead husband, L'ak (Elias Toufexis), she instigates a coup against Primarch Ruhn (Tony Nappo). With both the USS Discovery and the Breen Dreadnought in possession of the location of the Progenitors' treasure, Star Trek: Discovery season 5's final two episodes are set to be an epic struggle for the secrets of life itself.

As Burnham seeks the universe's greatest treasure in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, she'll need help from a host of new and returning characters.

Moll Becomes The Breen’s New Leader - Was She Star Trek: Discovery Season 5’s True Villain All Along?

Primarch ruhn had to go..

Moll pulls off her most impressive feat yet in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 8. Held in the custody of the Breen, Moll is able to engineer a coup against the Primarch, with the help of the sympathetic Lieutenant Arisar . Throughout "Labyrinths", Moll challenges the Primarch's authority, sowing the seeds of doubt in the heads of his followers. As the Primarch becomes increasingly reckless in his attempts to secure the final clue, he risks all-out war with the Federation. This is something that Moll points out will further exacerbate the political upheaval among the Breen in Star Trek: Discovery season 5.

When the Primarch attempts to destroy the Archive even after securing the location of the Progenitors' technology, Moll launches a revolt, murdering Ruhn and uniting the Primarch's followers behind her and the one true Scion, L'ak. In doing so, Moll has positioned herself at the head of the Breen Imperium going into Discovery season 5's two-part finale . While Moll is driven by her love for L'ak and her belief that the Progenitors' technology can resurrect people , she also seems to be enjoying the very position of power that her husband rejected, foreshadowing a potential clash between the two lovers.

Why Captain Burnham Gives The Breen The Progenitors’ Complete Treasure Map

Burnham made a calculated tactical decision to save the archive..

Burnham's decision to hand over the collected Progenitors' scientist's clues may seem like a huge mistake, but it's worth remembering that she was placed in an impossible situation. Primarch Ruhn was prepared to destroy the Eternal Gallery and Archive, which would have been a devastating loss to the galaxy. If the search for the Progenitors' treasure in Star Trek: Discovery has proved anything, it's that culture and history matter. On top of the lives that would be lost, the Breen's destruction of the Archive would have eradicated an astonishing amount of artifacts that make up the cultural legacy of Federation and non-Federation worlds alike .

However, Burnham's decision at the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 8, was also influenced by the knowledge she had gained from her time in the mindscape. After finally completing the test, Burnham learned that she needed one last piece of information to acquire the Progenitors' treasure. So far, only Burnham knows this information, as it wasn't even voiced on screen. Therefore, Burnham is banking on the Breen being unable to figure out the final piece of the puzzle before the Discovery crew can acquire the Progenitors' treasure.

With their massive Dreadnought starship and intimidation tactics, Star Trek: Discovery's Breen go overboard compared to other Trek villains.

To further throw the Breen off the scent, Captain Burnham pulls off an impressive Star Trek captain maneuver which effectively fakes the destruction of the USS Discovery. Venting plasma in from the Discovery into the charged atmosphere of the Badlands, Burnham orders Commander Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp) to jump to the final location at the exact moment the Discovery's shields began to buckle under the strain of the Breen's weaponry. With the ship gone, the Breen's weapons instead ignited the plasma, resulting in a huge explosion that made it look as if they had destroyed the USS Discovery , giving Starfleet a tactical advantage ahead of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 9, "Lagrange Point".

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 9, "Lagrange Point" is directed by Will Riker actor and prolific Star Trek director, Jonathan Frakes.

Burnham Faced Her Greatest Fear - How Michael Earned The Progenitors’ Final Clue

Burnham must know herself before acquiring the progenitors' treasure..

Star Trek: Discovery 's Counselor Troi tribute becomes more pronounced in "Labyrinths" as Dr. Marina Derex's test was a mindscape that effectively acted as therapy for Captain Burnham. Given a sassier, more impish version of Book as her guide, Burnham makes several missteps in her quest to escape the labyrinths of her mind. With time running out and the lights going out all around her, Burnham settles on the solution being that she simply has to navigate the maze to its exit.

After she winds up back where she started, Burnham breaks down and begins discussing her fears with the interface of Dr. Derex's program. Telling "Book" that she has no fear of death, Michael instead reveals that her greatest fear is failure; as a captain, as a friend, as a partner, and as the seeker of the Progenitors' treasure . Predictably for a test designed by a Betazoid, Burnham's introspection is the lesson, as she comes to terms with who she is as a person. As the interface states to her:

If you're going to be the one to protect what the Progenitors left behind you have to know yourself, to be honest with yourself, especially with the things that are hard to look at; fear, guilt, things you may be vulnerable to.

As well as securing her the final clue to the location of the Progenitors' treasure, Burnham's personal journey finally allows her to confront her failings with Book . Now that she's shared her doubts with the interface, it may make it easier for Michael to finally be honest with Book, leading to their romantic reconciliation. However, with the Breen on their tail, the romantic reunion between Burnham and Book will have to wait until later in Star Trek: Discovery season 5.

The Importance Of Book’s Kwejian Artifact Explained

How will book reconnecting with kwejian affect his story with moll.

Book's presence at the Eternal Gallery and Archive is requested because they need his assistance in identifying a Kwejian artifact. As one of the last surviving members of his race, Book is one of the few people who can give the archivists the context that they need. The artifact is two cuttings of the World Root, the network of tree roots that symbolized the Kwejian's ancestral chain. So far in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, Book has struggled to find a connection in the wake of his planet's destruction. It's one of the reasons Book has become so intent on saving Moll, who he sees as the closest thing to a living relative.

With his connection to the World Root restored, it may be easier for Book to cut ties with Moll...

However, now that Booker's connection with his home planet has been renewed, and Moll has seized control of the Breen Imperium, he may be forced to abandon his crusade. Book's relationship with Moll is borne out of an obligation to his mentor, the late Cleveland Booker III. If Moll is too far gone, Book might not be able to bring her back from the brink in the remaining episodes of Star Trek: Discovery season 5 . With his connection to the World Root restored, it may be easier for Book to cut ties with Moll. Alternatively, it could provide Moll with the means to Book him onside, by suggesting that it, combined with the Progenitors' treasure, the cuttings could bring back Kwejian.

Discovery season 5 premieres with fresh chapters for old love stories, along with a few new ones, bringing some levity to a usually heavy Star Trek.

Why Star Trek: Discovery’s Eternal Gallery & Archive Is So Important To The Federation & The Breen

The eternal archive and gallery is open to all races, even if they're at war with each other..

The importance of the Eternal Gallery and Archive in Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 8, "Labyrinths" isn't restricted to the clue to the Progenitors' treasure. As Hy'Rell (Elena Juatco) stated before she was rudely interrupted by Burnham, the Eternal Gallery houses the largest collection of historical and cultural artifacts in the Alpha or Beta Quadrants . As Michael states to the interface during her test, history is important, as those who don't learn from the mistakes of the past are doomed to repeat them. However, cultural preservation is also hugely important, as proven by the World Root cuttings.

Hy'Rell is an Efrosian like Nick Ryas' helmsman in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and Kurtwood Smith's Federation President in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country .

Given how many planets get destroyed in Star Trek , it is vitally important that cultural artifacts are kept to preserve the legacies of those worlds. It's likely for this reason that the Eternal Gallery and Archive exists independently of the Federation, so that all worlds can submit items to their collections. This is why archivists like Star Trek: Discovery 's Hy'Rell are well versed in negotiation, as they have to keep warring powers like the Federation and the Breen Imperium apart, to preserve the peace and sanctity of the Eternal Gallery and Archive.

A Damaged USS Discovery Is Now In A Race Against Time With The Breen For The Progenitors’ Treasure

The discovery's only an hour ahead of the breen imperium..

At the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 8, the USS Discovery and her crew are battered and bruised from their fight with the Breen. On their way to the location of the Progenitors' treasure, the Discovery's spore drive malfunctioned, leaving them 22 lightyears off target. To make matters worse, the USS Discovery's warp drive is also damaged, with the Breen just six hours away from reaching the Progenitors' treasure. With the crew racing to get both the spore and warp drives operational, the window to protect the Progenitors' treasure from the Breen is closing as Star Trek: Discovery season 5 enters its endgame.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 streams Thursdays on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery

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Star Trek: Discovery is an entry in the legendary Sci-Fi franchise, set ten years before the original Star Trek series events. The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham, assigned to the USS Discovery, where the crew attempts to prevent a Klingon war while traveling through the vast reaches of space.