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9 Versions Of The Borg In Star Trek

10 star trek aliens who don't look human, every borg queen in star trek.

From the moment your eyes settle on the vast expanse of stars, the first ambient sounds hit your ears, and you hear the mellifluous voice of Sir Patrick Stewart's cadence reciting, "Space: the final frontier..." you prepare your senses for the first thrilling notes of one of the most recognizable theme songs of all time. With much fanfare, the theme for  Star Trek: The Next Generation  sends your senses on an adventurous march through space, the  Enterprise- D shooting across the title sequence with each blast from the brass, each flurry of the harp, and each pounding of the percussion.

Longtime Star Trek fans will recognize it as one of the franchise's most definitive pieces of music, able to instantly transport them to an emotional state of nostalgia. It's selection as the theme song for the first new Star Trek television series since the original premiered was not an easy one, mired by bureaucratic decision making and creative differences. Did you know there was also an alternate theme? Read on for 10 things you didn't know about the  TNG  Theme Song and Intro!

RELATED:  Every Star Trek Movie, Ranked By Rotten Tomatoes Score

IT WAS TAKEN FROM STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE

For the first time in over ten years, the cast of the original Star Trek series came together to make  Star Trek: The Motion Picture.  Released in 1979, it would feature the crew of the original USS  Enterprise  being reassembled for another mission.

To capture the spirit of the original series, creator Gene Roddenberry wanted a rousing new theme song that would make audiences feel the pull to adventure of space exploration. He liked it so much, that he decided it would be used as the theme for the first new Star Trek series since the original,  Star Trek: The Next Generation.

IT WAS WRITTEN BY A FAMOUS COMPOSER

The composer of  TNG's  soaring theme song was none other than Jerry Goldsmith, long renowned in Hollywood for his particularly bombastic and exciting scores. He went from being a humble clerk typist in the musical department at CBS in the '50s to writing some of the most famous theme songs for film and television.

He wrote the original theme for the '60s spy series  The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,   as well as blockbuster films like Poltergeist , Alien, Total Recall, Airforce One,  and  The Mummy.  His themes are atmospheric, full of percussion and horns, and have lots of character, making each one as unique as the other.

IT ALMOST NEVER HAPPENED

The theme song for  TNG  may have come out of the music for  Star Trek: The Motion Picture,  but it almost never happened. Goldsmith had started composing the music for the film and finished a section to be used when Admiral Kirk and Scotty fly over the refit  Enterprise.

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Director Robert Wise liked the sound he was creating, but ultimately had to reject it on the basis that it wasn't cohesive, and didn't have an overall "theme". So back Goldsmith went to the drawing board until he came up with the theme song we have today, used in not just  Star Trek: The Next Generation   but four other Star Trek films as well.

IT ALMOST SOUNDED LIKE A SUPERMAN RIP-OFF

When production first began on  TNG,  several themes were considered. They could either use the theme from the original series, by Alexander Courage, or they could compose something entirely new. The alternate version of the theme exists on Youtube and as you'll hear, sounds very different from the theme  TNG  ended up having.

The alternate theme sounds like  The Last Starfighter,  with elements of   Superman  and even a few fantasy films of the '70s and '80s. It has a swashbuckling feel, which definitely speaks to a call for adventure, but ultimately sounds a little too cheesy, almost like the theme for the fictitious  Galaxy Quest  television show.

THE WORDS OF ITS TITLE SEQUENCE ARE SPECIFIC

Prior to the main theme starting up, the voice of Patrick Stewart, aka Captain Jean-Luc Picard can be heard over ambient music, just as Captain Kirk's voice could be heard prior to the theme of the original Star Trek series. They recite an introductory speech that is nearly identical, save for a few key phrases.

Picard's states, "Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. It's continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no one has gone before!". "Continuing mission" was put in place of the "five-year mission" as stated in the original, and "where no one has gone before" replaced "where no man has gone before" as a more gender-neutral choice.

IT WAS INTENDED TO DRAW IN LONGTIME TREKKIES

As Star Trek: The Next Generation  was the first Star Trek television program in over two decades, it came at a time when longtime Trekkies were still used to seeing the cast of the original series in feature films. Producers didn't know how they would react to a new series so they selected a theme song that would be recognizable to them.

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By using the theme song from the first Star Trek film, they hoped longtime Star Trek fans would be drawn into the show and give it a chance. By not using a new theme song, producers thought the new series wouldn't seem so alien to a skeptical audience.

IT CURTAILED HAVING TO PAY GENE RODDENBERRY ROYALTIES

Though Gene Roddenberry is credited as being Star Trek's creator, he's also been credited for almost causing its destruction. A polarizing figure in his own franchise like Star Wars creator George Lucas , he often felt that every decision he made was in the best interest of his creation when occasionally it only benefited him.

Case in point, when he felt that he wouldn't stand to make any profits off of the original series, he decided to compose lyrics for its theme so that at least he would get 50 percent of the royalties for the writing credit. If Paramount used his theme (even without the lyrics) for  TNG  they'd have to pay him royalties.

LICENSING AND EXPENSES PLAYED A PART

When producers for  TNG  were discussing what theme to go with for the series, they had to be careful about licensing, rights, and ultimately expenses. They hadn't used the original series theme again composed by Alexander Courage because of the issues surrounding having to pay Gene Roddenberry writing credits as well, so they turned to another composer.

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To commission a new piece of orchestral music at the time was going to be expensive. Hollywood composers operate at guild rates, and paying any of them for a new Star Trek show on an untested audience was a great risk, so recycling the theme song from  Star Trek: The Motion Picture  was the least expensive and convoluted option.

IT WAS ALMOST USED FOR STAR TREK PHASE II

Prior to word of  TNG  airing, there had been talk of doing another Star Trek series but involving the cast of the original series with a few new crew members. This was after the premiere of  Star Wars  in 1977 when producers felt continuing to have Star Trek compete in the science fiction film arena was too risky.

Star Trek: Phase II  as it was referred to had already started the casting and writing process, but ultimately Paramount Studios decided to continue cranking out Star Trek films, beginning with  Star Trek: The Motion Picture  in 1979 where the theme song for  TNG  was first heard. Concepts for characters and storylines from  Phase II  would wind up in  TNG  as well.

THE INTRO HAS BEEN REMASTERED FOR BLU-RAY

If you're streaming  TNG  today on Netflix or Hulu, chances are you're watching it in the digitally remastered Blu-ray glory it deserves. Even the beige interiors of the '90s sets look sharp and smart, and the bridge which once had all the charm of a hotel lobby now seems cleared for action.

All of the exterior shots of planets, the Milky Way, and the rest of the solar system in the Alpha Quadrant got their special effects beefed up as well. The  TNG  intro got shiny new lettering, as well as all of its galactic splendor restored thanks to the highly qualified folks at Industrial Light and Magic.

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• Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)

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Star Trek: The Next Generation

Set almost 100 years after Captain Kirk's 5-year mission, a new generation of Starfleet officers sets off in the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on its own mission to go where no one has gone before. Set almost 100 years after Captain Kirk's 5-year mission, a new generation of Starfleet officers sets off in the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on its own mission to go where no one has gone before. Set almost 100 years after Captain Kirk's 5-year mission, a new generation of Starfleet officers sets off in the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on its own mission to go where no one has gone before.

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• Trivia Almost everyone in the cast became life-long friends. At LeVar Burton 's 1992 wedding, Brent Spiner served as best man, and Sir Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , and Michael Dorn all served as ushers. Man of the People (1992) (#6.3) aired on that day.
• Goofs It is claimed that Data can't use contractions (Can't, Isn't, Don't, etc) yet there are several instances throughout the series where he does. One of the first such examples is heard in Encounter at Farpoint (1987) , where Data uses the word "Can't" while the Enterprise is being chased by Q's "ship".

[repeated line]

Capt. Picard : Engage!

• Crazy credits The model of the Enterprise used in the opening credits is so detailed, a tiny figure can be seen walking past a window just before the vessel jumps to warp speed.
• Alternate versions The first and last episodes were originally broadcast as two-hour TV movies, and were later re-edited into two one-hour episodes each. Both edits involved removing some scenes from each episode.
• Connections Edited into Reading Rainbow: The Bionic Bunny Show (1988)

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TNG: Opening Credits Monologue

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"Space... The final frontier... These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: To explore strange new worlds... To seek out new life; new civilisations... To boldly go where no one has gone before!"           -- Jean-Luc Picard, Captain, Starship Enterprise; NCC-1701D

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The 20 Best Episodes in the Star Trek TV Franchise, Ranked

"Live long and prosper!"

Few franchises have enjoyed the popularity and longevity that the beloved sci-fi Star Trek has. It's the longest-running franchise in American TV history, with no signs of wrapping up anytime soon, and has been hugely influential in pop culture. The original series was created by Gene Roddenberry and followed the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise as they explored the galaxy in the 23rd century, with subsequent series following a similar premise but with different ships and crews and set in different times, as well as a number of films .

With hundreds of episodes in the franchise, choosing the best is a daunting task. At its best, the series told compelling, emotional stories, sometimes very human ones, despite the focus on the future and other species. The best episodes also often feature themes and plot devices like alternate timelines and time travel. But no matter the story, the one thing they all have in common is compelling storytelling with characters at the center.

20 "Supernova"

'prodigy,' season 1, episode 19.

In the two-part Prodigy episode “Supernova,” the crew was surrounded by the Federation armada, and a Living Construct was unleashed, threatening to destroy all of Starfleet. The crew turned to other allies for help by putting out a distress call, which drew other ships to the area who helped deflect blasts and beam Starfleet personnel off of their ships under attack, but other Starfleet ships also responded, putting them in danger from the Construct, as well.

“Supernova” was a standout episode of Prodigy and a fitting way to end its first season, with high stakes for Starfleet. The intense episode also came with plenty of emotional moments, especially as it came to its conclusion in the second part with the destruction of the Protostar as the best option to defeat the Construct. The episode had huge implications for the series moving forward and felt like it could serve as a series finale, although that fortunately wasn’t the case.

Star Trek: Prodigy

Star Trek: Prodigy can be streamed on Netflix in the U.S.

Watch On Netflix

19 "Blink of an Eye"

'voyager,' season 6, episode 12.

In “Blink of an Eye,” Janeway ( Kate Mulgrew ) and the crew became trapped in the orbit of a primitive planet which then started to evolve at an amazingly fast pace, allowing them to witness much of its history, while its citizens were in awe of the Voyager in the sky above them. As time passed on the planet, generations of its citizens were inspired by the ship to create art and even establish religion.

“Blink of an Eye” was a fascinating episode about a distant planet, but it also echoed the impact Star Trek has had on everything from pop culture to technology . Daniel Dae Kim , best known for his roles on Lost and Hawaii Five-Oh , had a memorable role as Gotana-Retz, an astronaut from the planet who made it up to the Voyager and served as an ambassador until he was able to return, and 50 years had passed on the planet.

Star Trek: Voyager

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18 "The Trouble with Tribbles"

'star trek' season 2, episode 15.

In the TOS episode “The Trouble with Tribbles,” Uhura ( Nichelle Nichols ) got an interesting new pet, a small furry animal called a tribble, which was born pregnant and therefore reproduced at an astounding rate, leading the Enterprise to quickly become overrun with the furry creatures. On top of that, they didn’t get along well with Klingons. Meanwhile, the Enterprise is tasked with protecting a space station receiving a crucial shipment of grain, and the crew uncover a Klingon plot to poison it.

Fan-favorite “The Trouble with Tribbles” is among the most famous episodes of TOS , in part because it had all the elements of classic Star Trek —it successfully combined the funny, lighthearted plot of the Gremlin-like tribbles with the larger dramatic themes and conflicts of the show. The plots of the tribbles and poisoned grain came together in the end when the crew discovered a number of tribbles died after eating the grain.

Star Trek: The Original Series

17 "balance of terror", 'star trek,' season 1, episode 14.

In this Season 1 episode from the original series, the Enterprise engages in a game of cat-and-mouse with a Romulan ship while investigating the destruction of four outposts along the neutral zone in “Balance of Terror,” with the Romulans suspected of being responsible. The Romulans had a powerful weapon in their possession, and their commander saw many similarities between himself and Kirk ( William Shatner ). The episode was revisited in Strange New Worlds episode “A Quality of Mercy,” which explored its events through an alternate future.

On top of just being a great episode, “Balance of Terror” was also notable for introducing the Romulans , an offshoot of Vulcans and one of the show’s most formidable enemies. The episode dealt with the theme of bigotry, a common one throughout the franchise, and presented an exciting submarine-like chase. Given its role in Strange New Worlds decades later, its impact on the franchise is clear, and the follow-up episode served to illustrate the differences between Pike ( Anson Mount ) and Kirk.

16 "Devil in the Dark"

'star trek,' season 1, episode 25.

In “Devil in the Dark,” Kirk and Spock ( Leonard Nimoy ) answer a distress call on another planet to find dozens of workers in a mining facility have been killed by an unknown creature. But the creature, called a Horta, turned out to be more intelligent than they originally thought and was a mother trying to protect her babies. Her eggs were being accidentally destroyed by the miners, who thought they were mineral formations.

“Devil in the Dark” proved to be more than a simple monster story, it was really quintessential Star Trek , with a conflict rooted in a misunderstanding resolved through peaceful means. The episode also dealt with the themes of environmentalism, colonization, the fear of the unknown and misconceptions of an enemy and their motives. It is also memorable for some of its classic moments and dialogue, including the first instance of what would become McCoy’s ( DeForest Kelley ) catchphrase.

15 "Yesteryear"

'the animated series,' season 1, episode 2.

“Yesteryear” from The Animated Series saw Spock return from a trip back in time only to find something had been changed accidentally. An Andorian was in his place aboard the Enterprise , as Spock had died as a young child during kahs-wan, a maturity ritual. To set things right, the Guardian from another notable Star Trek episode, “The City on the Edge of Forever,” appeared and sent Spock back in time to his childhood.

The Animated Series may not be considered the best Star Trek had to offer, but it still had some standout episodes. “Yesteryear” was a great Spock-centered episode dealing with his past , and its ties to “The City on the Edge of Forever” were an added bonus tying it back to The Original Series . It was a great time-travel episode, as Spock realized the person who saved his life during the kahs-wan as a child was actually himself.

Star Trek: The Animated Series can be streamed on Prime Video in the U.S.

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14 "The Last Generation"

'picard,' season 3, episode 10.

The Paramount+ series Picard brought back Captain Jean-Luc Picard ( Patrick Stewart ) and his crew. In the series finale of Picard , “The Last Generation,” the titular captain’s crew from The Next Generation , along with crews new and old, took on the Borg from the Enterprise . Starfleet was under the Borg’s control and the Queen was out for revenge on the crew, resulting in the greatest threat they had ever faced. Despite the risk of becoming Locutus, Picard focuses on prioritizing and saving his son.

“The Last Generation” was the sendoff Picard and his Enterprise crew deserved . It felt very much like an ending for The Next Generation , with some Easter eggs throughout and, more importantly, great emotional moments as the crew recognized the magnitude of the threat they were dealing with and faced the possibility that some of them, or all, might not survive it. The episode also hinted at what may be yet to come in the future of the franchise.

Star Trek: Picard

13 "duet", 'deep space nine,' season 1, episode 19.

In “Duet,” a Cardassian named Marritza ( Harris Yulin ) arrives at Deep Space Nine, suffering from Kalla-Nohra, a disease which suggests he had spent time in a labor camp. Suspicious that he had a role in the Cardassian occupation of Bajor and was lying about who he was, Kira ( Nana Visitor ) begins to investigate him. He then claimed to be Gul Darhe’el, a leader in charge of the labor camp, a claim which was found to be false. Marritza was trying to get caught.

“Duet” was a strong episode in the series’ first season which delved into the politics of Star Trek and Deep Space Nine in particular and had multiple twists before arriving at the truth about Marritza and his motivations. The episode was also a story about remorse and vengeance, with Marritza seeking to atone for his actions while Kira was seeking vengeance, only to change her mind in the end, and for someone else to take matters into their own hands.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

12 "in the pale moonlight", 'deep space nine,' season 6, episode 19.

“In the Pale Moonlight” saw Sisko ( Avery Brooks ) trying to goad the Romulans into joining the Federation in a war against the Dominion, with the chances of losing becoming increasingly likely. He turned to Garak ( Andrew J. Robinson ), a former spy, for help to fabricate evidence of a Dominion plot to invade the Romulan Star Empire and giving it to a Romulan senator. When the senator realized the evidence was fake, Garak killed him. The episode is framed with Sisko recounting the events in his log.

Deep Space Nine is often regarded as a great Star Trek show with a reputation for darker storylines, and when it was at its best, it was often exploring stories like that of the Dominion War . “In the Pale Moonlight” was no exception . The episode was controversial yet memorable, still regarded now as one of the series’ best, with its theme of morality not always being black and white. It was also a great episode for Sisko especially.

11 "The Drumhead"

'the next generation,' season 4, episode 21.

After an explosion aboard the Enterprise damaged the warp core and injured several crewmembers in “The Drumhead,” evidence of sabotage pointed to a Klingon Exchange officer, thought to be a spy for Romulans. The incident led to a retired admiral boarding the Enterprise to investigate, and she became increasingly sure the Klingon wasn’t the only one involved, ultimately leading to Picard being accused of treason. The episode was directed by Jonathan Frakes , known for playing Riker.

“The Drumhead” was a compelling episode , with its courtroom-drama structure and themes of espionage and, more importantly, paranoia, as the admiral’s investigation became increasingly absurd. Courtroom dramas had been done in Star Trek before, but this was among the best of them . It was also a notable episode for Picard, as he expressed his concerns about how the investigation was playing out and ended up being one of its subjects.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

10 "in a mirror, darkly", 'enterprise,' season 4, episodes 18 and 19.

In the two-part Enterprise episode “In a Mirror, Darkly,” set in the Mirror Universe , Commander Archer ( Scott Bakula ) launches a mutiny against Captain Forrest ( Vaughn Armstrong ) on the Enterprise . After the Enterprise was destroyed, the crew was stranded aboard the USS Defiant , a ship from a parallel future universe, and Archer declared himself captain and intended to use the ship in a coup against the emperor. The episode was intended as a sequel to TOS episode “The Tholian Web.”

Enterprise finally realized its potential with “In a Mirror, Darkly,” the standout episode of the series, and the most popular one. It was an entertaining exploration of the Mirror Universe , a concept Star Trek fans quite enjoyed, with the evil counterparts of the series essentially providing a completely different show, devoid of the morality viewers were used to. The episode was also a great way to reference back to TOS .

Star Trek: Enterprise

9 "yesterday’s enterprise", 'the next generation,' season 3, episode 15.

The Enterprise-C was believed to have been destroyed 20 years prior in “Yesterday’s Enterprise,” only to emerge from a temporal anomaly and create an alternate timeline in which the Federation and Klingon Empire were at war, and the Federation was losing. Tasha Yar ( Denise Crosby ), who was killed in the first season, was alive and well. Only Guinan ( Whoopi Goldberg ) knew something was off, and she thought the only solution was to send the Enterprise-C back to its own time.

“Yesterday’s Enterprise” was a gritty episode of The Next Generation which explored time travel and alternate timelines . It was popular not only in Nielsen ratings in syndication, but many fans and TNG cast and crew alike, hail it as one of the series’ best. It also explored the theme of self-sacrifice and the greater good. As to put things right, the crew of the Enterprise-C had to accept and knowingly head towards their deaths.

8 "Darmok"

'the next generation,' season 5, episode 2.

In “Darmok, the Enterprise comes across a civilization which communicates solely through metaphors. They had been contacted before but were deemed impossible to communicate with, and their language could not be deciphered by the crew’s universal translator. Picard struggles in his attempts to communicate with them after being captured and trapped on an alien planet with their captain, Dathon ( Paul Winfield ), where they were attacked by a monster with the ability to disappear and reappear.

“Darmok” was a profound episode of The Next Generation and a notable one for Picard in particular. It demonstrated his commitment to nonviolence and peace , as he continuously thought Dathon wanted to fight, and he refused, as well as his patience and willingness to learn, all qualities which proved he was a great captain. While Dathon’s ultimate death was tragic, it helps solidify “Darmok” as a moving episode about communication.

7 "Memento Mori"

'strange new worlds,' season 1, episode 4.

The Enterprise went on a routine supply mission to a colony planet in “Memento Mori.” When they arrived, Spock ( Ethan Peck ) noticed the settlement’s communications satellite had been destroyed, leading Pike to send a landing party to investigate, who found no signs of human life but rather a gruesome scene with bloody drag marks but no bodies. The crew was ultimately attacked and forced to flee from the Gorn .

“Memento Mori” helped prove Strange New Worlds could be just as good as the classic, beloved Star Trek and is one of the standout episodes of the series, and it’s also among the best in the franchise . It was a compelling action-packed episode with a thrilling battle sequence and a cat-and-mouse game, and the Gorn proved to be a terrifying enemy. The episode also provided great insight into the characters of the Enterprise.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds can be streamed on Paramount+ in the U.S.

Watch On Paramount+

6 "The Measure of a Man"

'the next generation,' season 2, episode 9.

At a newly established Starbase in “The Measure of a Man,” Data ( Brent Spiner ) was ordered to be transferred and serve under Captain Bruce Maddox ( Brian Brophy ), who wanted to disassemble and study Data in order to create replicas of him. Data refuses and resigns instead, triggering a debate over whether he was considered a person with all the rights that entailed or if he was considered Starfleet property, with Picard defending Data’s humanity.

The Next Generation often dealt with Data’s humanity, and the aptly titled “The Measure of a Man” tackled the issue head-on. The episode is often held up as the first great episode of TNG ’s run . While it was a notable one for Data with a fantastic performance from Brent Spiner, Stewart also stood out, especially as Picard offered a passionate defense of Data. Picard and Maddox were also stark contrasts with one another, as Maddox never treated Data with any of the same respect he would a human.

5 "Cause and Effect"

'the next generation,' season 5, episode 18.

In “Cause and Effect,” the Enterprise was destroyed near a distortion in the space-time continuum, leading it and its crew to get caught in a time loop in which they continuously relived its destruction and their deaths over and over. As the loop reset each time, the crew began to hear strange things throughout the ship, leading them to realize what was happening. The episode was another directed by Frakes.

Some of Star Trek ’s strongest episodes have involved time travel , and “Cause and Effect” was no exception. Its Groundhog Day -like plot , although the episode was released before the film, was a familiar one that’s been explored time and time again, and Star Trek ’s take on it was particularly well-done. The episode told a compelling story, with high stakes for the crew, and was also notable for guest-starring Kelsey Grammer , then known for his role as Dr. Fraser Crane on Cheers .

4 "Inner Light"

'the next generation,' season 5, episode 25.

In “The Inner Light,” Picard is hit by a mysterious particle stream and knocked unconscious. In reality, no more than 20 minutes passed for the crew, but while unconscious, Picard experienced 40 years, a full life, as a man named Kamin living in a small village on a dying planet. At first, Picard resistes life as Kamin and tries to find a way back to the Enterprise . The purpose of his illusion of this life was to keep the memory of the planet and its people alive.

“The Inner Light” was a moving episode of The Next Generation , a fan-favorite often considered one of the best in the franchise . The episode gave Picard the normal life he’d given up for the Enterprise, complete with a wife and children, even grandchildren eventually, only to rip it away. The episode won the 1993 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, making it the first TV show to win since The Original Series won for “The City on the Edge of Forever.”

3 "The Best of Both Worlds" Parts 1 and 2

'the next generation,' season 3, episode 26 and season 4, episode 1.

In The Next Generation episode “The Best of Both Worlds,” the Borg attacked the Federation and were intent on conquering Earth, as well as determined to assimilate Picard into the public face of their campaign as Locutus of Borg, and they succeeded. Riker was also offered command of another ship, which he refused in order to stay with the Enterprise. The two-part episode laid the groundwork for the film Star Trek: First Contact , another high point in TNG .

The Borg were a formidable foe throughout TNG , appearing in some of the show’s best episodes, and “The Best of Both Worlds” was no exception. Often considered the best of the series , the episode proved what the series was capable of , adding complexity to the series. It was a thrilling episode with a brutal and bold cliffhanger. It was also a great episode for the show’s characters, particularly Picard and Riker.

2 "The City on the Edge of Forever"

'star trek,' season 1, episode 28.

After being accidentally injected with a powerful drug, Dr. McCoy jumped through a time portal on another planet, and he accidentally changed history so much, the Enterprise disappeared. Kirk and Spock followed to undo the damage, aiming for shortly before McCoy’s arrival, where they find one of the changes McCoy was responsible for was that the Nazis won World War II. To complicate matters, while they were in the past, Kirk fell in love.

“The City on the Edge of Forever” was classic Star Trek at its best , with themes of morality and the greater good, and what personal sacrifices someone is willing to make if it means doing the right thing. The time-travel plot was compelling on its own, as Kirk and Spock had to find McCoy and were met with a world that was drastically altered, and not for the better, but Kirk’s romance made it truly heartbreaking.

1 "The Visitor"

'deep space nine,' season 4, episode 2.

Deep Space Nine is set in the 24th century and follows people on a space station located near a stable wormhole in the Alpha and Gamma quadrants of the Milky Way Galaxy. Episode “The Visitor” was told in flashbacks by Sisko’s elderly son, Jake ( Cirroc Lofton ), after Sisko disappeared during a rare wormhole inversion, something which happened every 50 years, and Jake gave up writing and instead spent his life obsessively searching for Sisko.

“The Visitor” was a highly regarded and beloved episode in the Star Trek franchise, and also one of the most powerful, thanks to its emotional story and the performances of its cast. The episode was a great exploration of Sisko and Jake’s relationship. Their dynamic was already nice to watch, but this episode added even more to it with its story about the bond between parent and child. It also explored the ways in which obsession can destroy a person.

KEEP READING: The 10 Best Jean-Luc Picard Episodes on 'Star Trek,' Ranked

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‘star trek: discovery’ co-showrunner teases the final episodes and her message for fans.

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Co-showrunner Michelle Paradise with her "Star Trek: Discovery" cast and crew.

For five seasons, Star Trek: Discovery has taken audiences on the ride of a lifetime. With its series finale now in sight, I sat down with executive producer and co-showrunner Michelle Paradise at SeriesFest in Denver, Colorado to discuss the beloved show’s journey and what fans should expect from this ever-expanding television universe on Paramount Plus, before we say a proper farewell to the U.S.S. Discovery.

So for starters, what has Paradise enjoyed most about the evolution of Star Trek: Discovery , since it first premiered in September 2017?

“That’s a really great question,” Paradise said. “I have loved being a part of it. I joined halfway through season two, and it was starting to know what it was and it’s really found its way. I’ve really enjoyed the character arcs and getting to take them all to these different places. It’s also hard for me to separate out the evolution of the show from my evolution on the show and stepping into co-running it with [co-showrunner] Alex [Kurtzman] and starting to take over more of that in later seasons. It’s been the highlight of my career.”

Mary Wiseman as Tilly and Blu del Barrio as Adira in "Star Trek: Discovery" episode 7, season 5 - ... [+] streaming on Paramount+.

Paradise is no stranger to television production. She was previously an executive producer on such television projects as Exes & Ohs and The Originals , but I wondered what it might be about her Star Trek: Discovery cast and crew that perhaps feels special.

“It’s like a big family. First of all, our cast is incredible. They’re all insanely talented actors but they’re lovely human beings. They approach one another and they approach the project from just a place of love and respect for one another and for the material, which is always a wonderful place to start. You can’t say enough of [actor] Sonequa [Martin-Green], our number one and the tone that she sets on the show and on the set. We have a lot of folks on the show and the crew who come back, year-after-year. They all really love the world of Trek and they love one another. We try and go bigger and better and bolder every season, and there’s never a feeling of Oh, we can’t do that . It’s always a feeling of How do we do that? ”

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Sonequa Martin-Green as Burnham in "Star Trek: Discovery" streaming on Paramount+.

Since the original Star Trek series first premiered on television in 1966, the Star Trek story and fictional sci-fi universe has evolved into several iterations, including Star Trek: The Next Generation , Deep Space Nine , Voyager , Enterprise , Strange New Worlds and Picard - not to mention the numerous Star Trek movies over many decades, including the three recent blockbuster films, starring Chris Pine, Zoe Saldana and Zachary Quinto, with another sequel in the works.

Throughout all of these years, Star Trek fans have remained quite loyal and vocal, both when they love a story and even when they don’t. So, how does Paradise and her Star Trek: Discovery creative team try to appease Trek fans, but also not allow the chatter to stop them from taking on some creative risks?

Wilson Cruz as Culber and Anthony Rapp as Stamets in "Star Trek: Discovery" episode 6, season 5 - ... [+] streaming on Paramount+.

Paradise said, “I think the best way to answer that is we always try to honor what Trek is - where it came from, what is the DNA of any Trek series, which of course goes back to the original series, and then also honoring what is this version of Trek and knowing that it’s our job to make the best version of Discovery . Someone who loves Discovery may not love Strange New Worlds or someone who loves Strange New Worlds may not love Discovery. By design, these are all very different shows. To a certain degree, it has to be okay that not everyone is going to love this iteration. We always feel like if we can do justice to the franchise as a whole - what it means, do justice to the characters and do our best version of Discovery , then we will have succeeded.”

Ever since the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes ended late last year, there have been signs of movement and optimism within the entertainment industry, but also a sense of some standstill with television and film productions. So, what is Paradise seeing around the current state of Hollywood?

“I think it depends on who you talk to,” Paradise said. “It feels a bit like a mixed bag to me. There are a lot of people who are still very much struggling - writers, crew members, directors - because things have not picked up in the way that they would normally at this particular time of year. By in large, there’s not really a pilot season, as we used to know it. That’s very difficult for people. Of course, there’s still a lot of wonderful opportunities, but it seems like the compression that happened - it’s the combo platter of the [Covid-19] pandemic and the strikes, just after that. It does feel condensed - there are fewer things but I feel like, to some degree, that had to happen because in the big balloon of streaming, that in retrospect, it doesn’t feel like it was necessarily sustainable. Hopefully it will ease up, sooner than later, and kind of calm down because there’s still a lot of people who are struggling to get back into work right now and I feel for them - it’s hard.”

On more of a positive note, when asked what Paradise is enjoying most about the television landscape today, she says that she feels there is a lot that can be done, applauding the way that every week, Star Trek: Discover y is a “cinematic storytelling into television,” though she admits that the visual design of Discovery is not sustainable for every network and studio.

While our real world faces divisive times with war, political unrest and other conflicts, I wondered if Paradise and her team keep in mind the real-life issues occurring, when crafting its stories for the screen on Star Trek: Discovery .

Mary Wiseman as Tilly, June Laporte as Ravah and Wilson Cruz as Dr. Culber in "Star Trek: Discovery" ... [+] episode 6, season 5 - streaming on Paramount+.

“That comes from just the DNA of the show itself. The original series did not shy away from what was happening societal at that time. It did not shy away from tackling those things in the way that it could. That’s one of the cool things about sci-fi - aliens can stand-in for another culture, different relationships can stand-in for whatever is happening in society at the time. That’s kind of baked into any Trek show, is that reflection of what’s happening in the world at that time via sci-fi and the different ways we could do it.”

Paradise added: “In Discovery , we were very much aware of that and very thoughtful about what are the types of stories we want to tell, how does that reflect certain things that are going on. Trek means so much to so many people and where people are actively looking to Trek to reflect themselves in some way or actively looking to Trek as an answer to what’s happening in society and for hope that, as divisive as things are right now, as challenging around the world and in our country, that there is hope and we can overcome it with our better selves.”

Blu del Barrio as Adira, Tig Notaro as Jett Reno and Mary Wiseman as Tilly in "Star Trek: Discovery" ... [+] episode 7, season 5 - streaming on Paramount+.

When asked about what fans can expect ahead in the remaining episodes of Star Trek: Discovery , which drop every Thursday during this final season, Paradise teases that fans “might see more of our bad guys this season.” She added: “We did not going into the season [knowing] that this would be our last season. We’re so fortunate - CBS Studios and Paramount Plus gave us the opportunity, after the fact, to go shoot some additional material, and I feel like the thing I just want to keep reiterating for fans of the show is it has a proper ending. Our Discovery is not going to end on a cliffhanger of Are they all going to die? and then we never find out. It was worth the investment and I do think when people finish the season/series, they will feel like this season - again, we didn’t know going in - but it does feel like if you didn’t know that, you would think we knew going in because of what we’re doing thematically and where our characters go. So, I think people will feel very satisfied.”

As the conversation with Paradise concluded, she was left with one last question: For Star Trek: Discovery fans, people who have followed these five seasons - as they soon finish these final episodes, what message do you as a co-showrunner want to say these people, after investing their time in the series over the past seven years and falling in love with these characters?

Mary Wiseman, Sonequa Martin-Green and Michelle Paradise.

“I just would want to say thank you. There is no Discovery without the fans and they are always so loving and supportive and passionate, even when they don’t like what we’re doing, they’re passionate. As writers and creators and actors and the directors, we love that! We love that passion and their passion means so much to us.”

Paradise added: “It was a gift. Hopefully, we’ll all get to do it again someday.”

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Published May 16, 2024

The Baddest Part of Space: A Brief History of the Badlands

The last place in the galaxy you want to take your starship, is often the place with the most going on.

SPOILER WARNING: This article contains story details and plot points for Star Trek: Discovery Season 5's "Erigah" and "Labyrinths"!

StarTrek.com

The stormiest part of the galaxy is also the place where everyone seems to end-up, at least, if you’re in a certain kind of Star Trek adventure.

In the seventh (" Erigah ") and eighth ("Labyrinths") episodes of Star Trek: Discovery Season 5, the crew learns that the final clue to unlocking the Progenitor tech will lead to the Eternal Gallery and Archive, a kind of mobile library. These days, it's located in the center of the Badlands , an area of space beset with plasma storms, gravitational anomalies, and, on a few occasions, the accidental doorway to the other side of the galaxy.  

Discovery 's return to the Badlands might be the next-to-last stop on the treasure map to get the elusive secrets of the Progenitor tech, but it's a thrilling moment for longtime Star Trek fans. The Badlands isn't just a random Easter egg. This is a part of space pivotal to the history of the 24th Century, a place which spans not just a chunk of the Alpha Quadrant, but the paths of two beloved Trek shows — Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Voyager .

Here's your brief history of the Badlands, plus, what makes it so bad, and so cool.

Star Trek and the Art of Foreshadowing

"When It Rains..."

In many ways, the Badlands represents a moment in Star Trek history where the franchise was getting really good at planting seeds for later plot developments, and, in the case of the Badlands, for TV series that had yet to even premiere. As many longtime fans know, back in the 1990s, having serialized arcs on any TV show was rare, meaning that ongoing shared continuity between Star Trek: The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine was downright revolutionary.

How does this connect to the Badlands? Well, before the U.S.S. Voyager actually went into the Badlands in the 1995 series premiere of Star Trek: Voyager , " Caretaker ," the concept of the Badlands was introduced in Deep Space Nine .

On April 24, 1994, in the 20th episode of Deep Space Nine 's second season, the concept of the Badlands was quietly introduced. Titled " The Maquis, Part I ," the episode introduced the growing resistance movement among former Federation colonists living in a demilitarized zone that now was part of Cardassian space. This storyline was directly connected to The Next Generation episode " Journey's End ," which had aired just a month prior on March 28, 1994. That episode established the conundrum of what was happening to the Federation colonists in the Cardassian DMZ, and then, DS9's "The Maquis, Part I" and " The Maquis, Part II ," revealed what happened when those colonists organized into a fighting force.

By May 16, 1994, this storyline pivoted back to TNG with the episode " Preemptive Strike ," in which Ro Laren defects to the Maquis, breaking Captain Picard's heart for nearly 30 years, until their reconciliation in the 2023 episode of Star Trek: Picard , " Imposters ."

So, in 1994, the Star Trek franchise escalated a huge storyline in March, April, and May. And one common element of this entire Maquis storyline was the Badlands.

The Badlands Revealed

"Caretaker"

Although Deep Space Nine introduced the concept of the Badlands in Season 2, and later mentioned it again in the Season 3 episode " Defiant ," the full destructive and absurdly dangerous aspect of the Badlands wasn't fully on display until the first episode of Star Trek: Voyager .

In "The Maquis, Part 1," Sisko says, "A few ships have been lost there over the past year or two," which again, foreshadows the moment when Voyager, and then Chakotay's ship the Val Jean , are transported to the Delta Quadrant, from the Badlands.

So while the Badlands had been visited and name-checked before Voyager , most fans associate this unstable region of space with that series. And with good reason, if Voyager had never pursued the Val Jean into the Badlands, the entire show would never have happened. Janeway even selected the temperamental, former-criminal Tom Paris as her pilot, because the Badland were known to be treacherous. And although DS9 would revisit the Badlands a bit more in subsequent seasons, the pink-orange landscape of the plasma storms from the opening moments of "Caretaker" have been burned into the brains of fans for almost 30 years.

Discovery ' s Return to the Badlands

"Erigah"

As Rayner tells Captain Burnham in "Erigah," he’s been to the Badlands and "it's as fun as it sounds." In "Labyrinths," we learn what was a very unstable region in the year 2371, has expanded to become, as Rayner explains, "the largest plasma storm in the quadrant," in 3191.

When Discovery enters the Badlands, it appears to be one intricate, massive storm in space, even more intense than back in the Voyager days. "It's kinda beautiful, in a twisted sort of way," Tilly declares as the ship rolls up on the Badlands, and she's totally right.

While the Badlands has always been a scary place in the Trek universe, there's also something ethereal and magical about this specific spacescape. In DS9, it was a place of refuge for an idealistic band of rebels. In Voyager , the Badlands became a doorway to a larger adventure, changing the lives of Janeway and the rest of the crew in ways that had countless repercussions throughout all of Star Trek history. And now, in Discovery , the Badlands becomes a diaphanous, whimsical setting for a library in space.

"Labyrinths"

One of Star Trek 's recurring themes is the ways in which the pursuit of knowledge can help us all overcome hardship. And in Discovery , that theme is perfectly exemplified by a celestial library, at the center of an interstellar storm.

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Ryan Britt is the author of the nonfiction books Phasers on Stun! How the Making and Remaking of Star Trek Changed the World (2022), The Spice Must Flow: The Journey of Dune from Cult Novels to Visionary Sci-Fi Movies (2023), and the essay collection Luke Skywalker Can’t Read (2015). He is a longtime contributor to Star Trek.com and his writing regularly appears with Inverse, Den of Geek!, Esquire and elsewhere. He lives in Portland, Maine with his family.

Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1-4 are streaming exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., the UK, Canada, Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia and Austria. Seasons 2 and 3 also are available on the Pluto TV “Star Trek” channel in Switzerland, Germany and Austria. The series streams on Super Drama in Japan, TVNZ in New Zealand, and SkyShowtime in Spain, Portugal, Poland, The Nordics, The Netherlands, and Central and Eastern Europe and also airs on Cosmote TV in Greece. The series is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

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