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Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is upending canon for its new engineer

Carol Kane plays the the mysterious, hilarious chief engineer Pelia

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As season 2 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds comes to Paramount Plus this week, most things about the show are the same. It’s still the Enterprise as helmed by Captain Pike , Kirk’s predecessor. It’s still a return to the episodic Trek formula of yesteryear. And it’s all the same cast — except for one.

With last season’s heartbreaking death of chief engineer Hemmer, there’s a space to fill on the Enterprise roster. And as it’s still a little too early for Montgomery “Scotty” Scott to show up, that role has fallen to an original character: chief engineer Pelia, played by legendary actor and comedian Carol Kane.

Given that she’s brand-new, there’s very little anybody knows about Pelia — but in the season premiere, “The Broken Circle,” she’s already upending everything we know about Star Trek’s alternate history of humanity.

[ Ed. note: This piece contains spoilers for the season premiere of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2.]

The usual sign that a character is human rather than one of Star Trek’s innumerable humanoid aliens is that they’re not wearing some kind of facial prosthetics. And you won’t find a pointed ear or ridged forehead anywhere in Kane’s show wardrobe. But, as “The Broken Circle” reveals, Pelia is definitely not human. The first hint we get is when she casually refers to being more than 100 years old. In the same scene, Uhura, the ship’s polyglot, takes note of Pelia’s accent and asks if she is “Lanthanite,” to which Pelia replies, “Guilty as charged.”

Which is very interesting, because there’s no analogous Star Trek species to that name. In the episode’s final scenes, Spock drops one more tantalizing, explosive line about Lanthanites in conversation with Pelia: “I’ve always been fascinated by your people. That you managed to live on Earth among other humans undetected until the 22nd century is remarkable.”

This is brand-new information for Star Trek canon, and it would mean that somewhere in the 2100s — a century that includes the founding of the Federation, the obsolescence of money, and the events of the Star Trek: Enterprise series — humanity discovered that there had been aliens living among them. And this is something that everybody in Star Trek has just... known this whole time, but not mentioned until now? Buck wild.

When Polygon spoke with Kane, the first thing we asked was how she’d reacted upon realizing her character was an alien who’d lived secretly among humans for potentially centuries.

“Just thrilled,” she replied, “because you can let your imagination run wild and it’ll work. Also, I like the fact that I get to be the one that knows the most — in my opinion. And I probably do,” she quipped, “because of the time I’ve been on the Earth and in space.”

Kane said she relishes playing an older character, not unlike the original series’ Dr. McCoy, who’s doing cool space stuff right alongside all the young folks. “I like that at my age, which is Pelia’s age, that I get to be on the ship and embraced by the other people, so I’m not solitary. I like that. I relate to that.”

Kane couldn’t tell us anything about Pelia or the Lanthanites that wasn’t already revealed in “The Broken Circle.” All we can say for now is that they appear to be a completely new addition to the galaxy of species that make up Star Trek canon, and that chief engineer Pelia has a friendly history with Spock’s mother, Amanda Grayson. There’s no telling when Strange New Worlds is planning to reveal more, but we, for one, eagerly await more answers about the aliens living among us.

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22 Famous Star Trek Quotes that Will Live Forever

If you haven’t watched Star Trek , you’ve at least heard about it. The sci-fi television series created by Gene Roddenberry has earned millions of fans over the years.

Roddenberry was allegedly inspired by Gulliver's Travels and a TV series called Wagon Train to create Star Trek.  Each episode of the series is built as an incredible adventure, but also as a morality tale, considering that the episodes depict cultural realities and conflicts like war and peace, sexism, human rights, religion, economics, loyalty, racism and technology.

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Due to this approach, Star Trek is not only about space adventure and exploration. The franchise is also recognized for being one of the first TV series with a multiracial cast and applauded for its attitude toward civil rights.

The Star Trek world was full of wisdom and great lines, but here are 22 of the most meaningful quotes from its characters . 

A man either lives life as it happens to him, meets it head-on and licks it, or he turns his back on it and starts to wither away. -- Dr. Boyce

Logic is the beginning of wisdom, not the end. -- Spock

You may find that having is not so pleasing a thing as wanting. This is not logical, but it is often true. -- Spock

Live now ; make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again. -- Jean-Luc Picard

Sometimes a feeling is all we humans have to go on. -- Captain Kirk

With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censored, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably. -- Jean-Luc Picard

The prejudices people feel about each other disappear when they get to know each other. -- Captain Kirk

If we're going to be damned, let's be damned for what we really are. -- Jean-Luc Picard

Insufficient facts always invite danger. -- Spock

Perhaps man wasn't meant for paradise. Maybe he was meant to claw, to scratch all the way. -- Captain Kirk

In critical moments, men sometimes see exactly what they wish to see. -- Spock

Compassion: that's the one thing no machine ever had. Maybe it's the one thing that keeps men ahead of them. -- Dr. McCoy

Change is the essential process of all existence. -- Spock

Without followers, evil cannot spread. -- Spock

Our species can only survive if we have obstacles to overcome . You remove those obstacles. Without them to strengthen us, we will weaken and die. -- Captain Kirk

Curious, how often you humans manage to obtain that which you do not want. -- Spock

One man cannot summon the future. But one man can change the present! -- Spock

To all mankind -- may we never find space so vast, planets so cold, heart and mind so empty that we cannot fill them with love and warmth. -- Garth

You know the greatest danger facing us is ourselves, and irrational fear of the unknown. There is no such thing as the unknown. Only things temporarily hidden, temporarily not understood. -- Captain Kirk

A species that enslaves other beings is hardly superior -- mentally or otherwise. -- Captain Kirk

Now, I don't pretend to tell you how to find happiness and love, when every day is a struggle to survive. But I do insist that you do survive, because the days and the years ahead are worth living for! -- Edith Keeler

Live long and prosper! -- Spock

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Cops Surprise Lonely Man Who Called 911 on His Birthday

Most of us know that if you’re ever in an emergency situation, you can call 911 for immediate help. Well for one man, having no one there to help him celebrate his birthday was an emergency. So he called the help line just to hear some well wishes. What he didn't expect was for two police officers to show up.

Making the Call

White and pink covered cake with lightened candle

According to WHDH News in Boston, a local man called 911 on May 2, just after midnight. It was his birthday, and he just wanted someone to wish him a happy birthday.

Initially, the responders thought the call was a joke. Officer Israel Bracho told the outlet he and his partner believed the man was pulling their leg, but then they verified he was telling the truth.

Different states have different penalties for misusing the emergency line. But this time, the police officers took another approach and decided to make the man's day memorable.

“Everyone has one birthday, so everyone deserves to feel special on that day,” Bracho said.

A Big Surprise

On their way to see the man, Chris, Bracho and his partner made a stop to pick up a muffin and candles.

“On our way there, we decided we can’t show up to someone’s house empty-handed. My mother raised me right — she would’ve killed me if I didn’t,” Bracho explained.

The pair showed up just before 1 a.m. with the treat. In the bodycam footage , which was later shared on social media , Chris’ face lit up when he realized the officers were there to celebrate him.

“Oh my God,” he said as the officers sang “Happy Birthday.”

“You guys are awesome,” the now 25-year-old said. “This is more than I could ask for.”

“Don’t eat it all in one sitting,” Bracho joked. “Take it easy, brother; God bless you.”

Spreading Kindness

It’s always heartwarming to hear stories of police officers taking to their communities and spreading kindness like the officers in this story did. We often hear about bad or scary situations, so moments like these are a great reminder that police are there to serve the community in various ways.

This story also reminds us that sometimes it’s easy to be kind and help someone when they need it most. Not everyone has someone to spend a birthday or special occasion with, but by taking the time to remember them — even with a small token — you can make a huge difference in their day.

Everyone deserves to feel special once in a while, and that’s within all of our power to do. All it takes is a smile, a kind gesture, or some nice words to turn another person’s day around. And in a pinch, a muffin will do.

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Plus-size Passenger Refuses to Give Up Extra Seat To Toddler

Flying may be the quickest way to travel but it isn't always the most comfortable. The seats are small, legroom is almost non-existent, and there's always that one annoying passenger in front of you who seems to find extreme enjoyment in testing the limits of just how far back that reclining seat can go.

Airlines are notorious for cramming in as many people as possible in the smallest spaces possible, which can be especially difficult for plus-sized passengers.

One woman decided to combat this by purchasing an extra seat.

But instead of sitting back and enjoying her flight, she found herself at the center of attention after refusing to give up the extra seat she had rightfully paid for to accommodate a toddler on the crowded flight.

Obese Woman Refuses to Give Up Extra Seat

Taking to the Reddit forum, Am I The A**hole , a 34-year-old woman explains that she is "actively working toward losing weight" but is still obese.

After having a bad experience on a previous flight, she opted to book an additional seat.

"...because I’m fat, I booked an extra seat so everyone can be more comfortable. I know it sucks having to pay for an extra seat but it is what it is."

At first, everything goes smoothly. She checks in, makes it through security, and boards the plane.

But just as she is settling into her seat, her trip takes a nosedive.

"This woman comes to my row with a boy who appeared to be about a year old," she writes. "She told me to squeeze in to one seat so her son could sit in the other."

Not only does the mother disparagingly tell her to "squeeze in" but she doesn't even bother to ASK her to move, she TELLS her to.

Understandably, the woman refuses to budge. "I told her no and that I paid for this seat for the extra space," she writes.

Despite the fact that the woman has every right to deny the order, and she has the ticket to prove it, the mother digs in. Her "huge fuss" attracts the attention of a nearby flight attendant.

"She told the flight attendant I was stealing the seat from her son, then I showed my boarding passes, proving that I, in fact paid for the extra seat."

And here's where things really take off. The flight attendant sides with the mother and asks the plus-sized passenger if she "could try to squeeze in."

She again refuses. "The boy, who the mom said is 18 months old was supposed to sit in her lap so he could do just that," she explains.

Eventually, the flight attendant tells the mom to put her son on her lap.

But the flight is already ruined. The Redditor shares that the unhappy mom wouldn't let it go, giving her dirty looks and passive-aggressive remarks for the entire flight.

She ends her post begging the question, "I do feel a little bad because the boy looked hard to control so AITA?"

The Internet Weighs In

The plus-sized woman's refusal to give in to the mom's demand has sparked a whole lot of feelings. The post has gone viral on Reddit with over 18,000 upvotes and nearly 5,000 commenters "weighing in."

The comments are overwhelmingly in support of the OP (original poster). In fact, you'd be hard-pressed to find a comment that supported the "entitled mother."

"She’s TA for not buying a seat for her son and assuming someone else would give up a seat they paid for. Odds are she was hoping there’d be extra seats on the flight so she didn’t have to pay and used the lap thing as a loophole."

"NTA. Look, at the base level, you paid for the seat regardless of the reason. You're entitled to use it, not the mom with a wriggly toddler. Not your kid, not your problem."

Commenters praised the OP for selflessly dishing out for an extra seat to accommodate her size in an attempt to make others flight comfortable too.

"NTA, and I hope it doesn't sound condescending to say, but good for you buying the extra seat. You being the sort of conscientious person who will spend the extra money to avoid encroaching on others is probably why you are having (needless) self-doubt about the encounter. The mom was entitled and fully in the wrong, and if the flight attendant gave you attitude then they are in the wrong, too."

And this brings up a valid point about the flight attendant's response. Should she have tried to force the issue?

"What's even the point of the extra seat if the flight attendants are going to let entitled people bully others into giving up the extra seat?"

"The cabin crew should have stopped this straight away once they saw you had booked both seats, it should have been obvious why. They should not have asked you to squeeze in to 1 seat."

Standing Up For Your Rights

While it is possible to have empathy and compassion for the mother (flying with little ones is challenging at best) she did, essentially, try to commandeer a stranger's seat.

A seat she had no right to and didn't pay for. Now there's no telling if she tried to purchase a seat for her toddler and there were no more tickets available or if she was banking on a stranger to accommodate her child.

Either way, the plus-size woman specifically paid for an extra seat so she wouldn't have to deal with the uncomfortable and frankly dehumanizing experience of trying to "squeeze in" to a seat made for bodies that conform to ridiculously narrow societal standards.

While it can be difficult to stand up for your rights in the face of opposition, it is important to advocate for yourself.

What do you think? Did she do the right thing?

*Featured image contains photos by George Zografidis and Gustavo Fring

Copyright © 2024 Goalcast

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What Is A Lanhanite In Star Trek? (& How Long Do They Live For?)

• Lanthanites, the new alien species introduced in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, are a long-lived race of humanoids.
• Commander Pelia, the first Lanthanite seen in Star Trek, can pass for a human and has lived on Earth for a long time.
• Pelia's age is hinted to be at least 2,500 years old, and she has a history of being an instructor at Starfleet Academy and training future Chief Engineers.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 introduced the Lanthanites, a new alien species, to Star Trek canon. Commander Pelia (Carol Kane), the new Chief Engineer of the USS Enterprise, is the first Lanthanite seen in Star Trek . Pelia replaced the late Lieutenant Hemmer (Bruce Horak), who was a blind Aenar, as the head Engineer of the flagship of the United Federation of Planets.

Commander Pelia doesn't register as an alien at first, but the insightful and quirky engineer is indeed part of a new species in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. The prequel series set years before Star Trek: The Original Series has no shortage of alien races aboard. Lt. Spock (Ethan Peck) is half-Vulcan and Commander Una Chin-Riley AKA Number One (Rebecca Romijn) is an Illyrian , a race that culturally utilizes genetic engineering. Strange New Worlds has also included classic Star Trek alien antagonists like the reimagined Gorn, the Romulans, and the Klingons. But Pelia and the Lanthanites are something new to Star Trek and here's what we know about them so far.

Strange New Worlds Season 2 Cast Every New & Returning Star Trek Character

What is a lanthanite in star trek: strange new worlds (& how long do they live), pelia has lived on earth for a long time..

Lanthanites are a very long-lived race of humanoids. Commander Pelia can pass for a human and the only tell is her peculiar accent, which the Starship Enterprise's Communications Officer, Ensign Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), was able to identify as Lanthanite. Spock knew of a group of Lanthanites who lived on Earth incognito until the 22nd century, hinting that Pelia isn't alone on the Federation's homeworld and may have been part of that conclave. However , Lanthanites must be a Federation member race if Commander Pelia is allowed to serve in Starfleet .

Commander Una Chin-Riley faced court-martial for lying to Starfleet in Strange New Worlds season 2 because her own race, the genetically-engineered Illyrians, are not members of the Federation.

It's not clear if Lanthanites are a truly immortal species, but they are certainly very long-lived, if prone to the "boredom" inherent in seemingly living forever. Interestingly, Pelia is similar to Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) on Star Trek: The Next Generation . Guinan is El-Aurian, a race of "listeners" who are also extremely long-lived. Guinan was known to have lived on Earth since the 19th century, and she established her bar, Ten Forward, in the 20th century before she served on the USS Enterprise-D in the 24th century. However, Pelia claims she has lived on Earth far longer than Guinan.

How Old Is Commander Pelia In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds?

Pelia claims she knew pythagoras..

Strange New World s season 2, episode 3 , "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow" offered some major clues as to how old Commander Pelia is. Security Chief Lt. La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) was frustrated by Pelia storing archaeological contraband on the Starship Enterprise. When La'an and an alternate reality Captain James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley) time-traveled to the 21st century, they learned that "The Archaeology Department" Pelia oversaw was not a university or museum but a warehouse in Vermont where the Lanthanite stored her curios she collected over the centuries. Pelia also claimed she knew Pythagoras, who invented mathematics. Pythagoras lived from 570 BC to 490 BC, which would make Pelia at least 2,500 years old .

Amusingly, Pelia didn't know anything about engineering when La'an and Kirk encountered her in the 21st century.

In history more recent to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' 23rd century, Pelia joined Starfleet after the Vulcans made First Contact with Earth as she saw humanity becoming a spacefaring race with the advent of Starfleet in the 22nd century. Pelia devoted herself to studying engineering and warp travel, and the Lanthanite became an instructor at Starfleet Academy. Among her students who later joined the USS Enterprise were Hemmer and Una Chin-Riley, neither of whom Pelia was particularly impressed with. Strange New Worlds season 2 's finale, "Hegemony," established that Pelia also trained Lt. Montgomery Scott AKA Scotty (Martin Quinn), the Starship Enterprise's future Chief Engineer when James T. Kirk (William Shatner) becomes Captain.

Will Pelia Stay As Chief Engineer In Strange New Worlds Season 3?

Scotty joining the enterprise makes pelia's fans nervous..

Scotty's surprise appearance in Strange New Worlds season 2's finale naturally creates the question of how long Commander Pelia will remain aboard the USS Enterprise as Chief Engineer. Scotty (James Doohan) is a Star Trek: The Original Series icon as Chief Engineer, after all. However, in Strange New Worlds , Scotty is still a young Lieutenant. Lt. Scott can take his first steps as a "miracle worker" if he can conjure a way for Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and the Enterprise to defeat the Gorn.

Carol Kane has been a delightfully offbeat addition to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , but it's natural to wonder how long she will remain on the show. Kane is a legend of stage and screen, but unlike Whoopi Goldberg, who has appeared for decades as Guinan, Carol is not a lifelong fan of Star Trek . Still, Strange New Worlds has already killed off one Chief Engineer, Lt. Hemmer, and Scotty may still be too green to slide into the Chief Engineer role in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3. It might be better for the overall Star Trek franchise if Pelia chooses to step down from the Enterprise of her own volition at some point. And, because there's no evident limit to how long a Lanthanite can live, Carol Kane could potentially reprise Pelia in other Star Trek series no matter how far in the future they are set.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Cast Bruce Horak, Celia Rose Gooding, Jess Bush, Melissa Navia, Ethan Peck, Babs Olusanmokun, Rebecca Romijn, Christina Chong, Anson Mount

Franchise(s) Star Trek

From Vulcans to Tribbles: Best 'Star Trek' Species

From Romulans to The Borg, these are 'Star Trek's best alien species with the most interesting storylines.

Star Trek is bigger than ever right now. Thanks to the launch of the new streaming service Paramount+, Trekkies have been simply overwhelmed by the amount of new content at their disposal. The shows Discovery , Picard , Lower Decks, and Prodigy are all returning, and the prequel series Strange New Worlds is in active development. The franchise’s producers Alex Kurtzman and Heather Kadin have promised that there are many other new projects coming soon, and after years of delays, a new Star Trek movie is set to hit theaters on December 2023. The currently untitled fourth entry in the “Kelvin Timeline” series will be directed by WandaVision creator Matt Shakman .

It goes without saying that Star Trek is one of the most influential, iconic, and beloved media franchises in history. Between the various shows, films, books, comics, games, and tie-in material, Gene Rodenberry ’s landmark universe has one of the largest and most loyal fanbases ever. Rodenberry created an optimistic version of the future, where humanity had learned to co-exist with many alien species. In the franchise’s extensive history, these unique species have taken on in-depth cultures, languages, and backgrounds. Obsessive Star Trek fans have developed an Encyclopedic knowledge of their distinct characteristics. Star Trek is a massive property, and as a result there are subsections within the fandom that prefer different alien species of another based on what stories appeal to them. Some stories and films have featured different alien species more prominently than others. Narrowing down the greatest aliens is no easy task, but you can’t go wrong with these great species.

RELATED: 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Teaser Reveals New Look at Celia Rose Gooding's Uhura

You wouldn’t have Star Trek without the success of The Original Series , and you wouldn’t have The Original Series without Spock. Although the competition is fierce, there may not be another Star Trek character that is as beloved as Leonard Nimoy ’s Mr. Spock. Half-Vulcan and half-human, the logical character has been appearing in great Star Trek stories since 1966. The Vulcan race has been developed around his iconic performance, but there are many other great Vulcan characters in the universe’s history. The savior Surak, Spock’s father Sarek, the Enterprise hero Tuvok, and the ambassador Soval are just a few of the best.

The Vulcans’ sister species the Romulans are almost the complete opposite of their philosophical counterparts. The Romulan culture is based on conflict, and throughout the franchise’s history, the two alien species have frequently come into conflict. Romulans first appeared in The Original Series episode “Balance of Terror,” and their empire inspired many of the greatest Star Trek villains ever, including Spock’s tormentor Nero, the powerful Paraetor Neral, and the Federation’s rival Commander Tomalak.

There aren’t many Star Trek villains as truly frightening as The Borg. First appearing in The Next Generation , the hivelike species assimilates all of its opponents into servants of “The Collective.” Patrick Stewart ’s Captain Picard meets his greatest challenge in the beloved two-part storyline “The Best of Both Worlds,” where he is captured and assimilated to the villainous creatures. Picard deals with the post-traumatic stress disorder of his experiences well into the future; he’s forced to face his old enemies again in the excellent 1996 film Star Trek: First Contact . With the phrase “Resistance Is Futile,” The Borg is synonymous with immediate danger.

The Klingon Empire is one of the most powerful bodies in the Star Trek universe. The warrior species has a culture entirely based on combat and trial, with a caste-like system that divides them by their different rank. Kirk, Spock, and the U.S.S. Enterprise crew face off against the Klingons many times throughout the run of The Original Series . However, The Next Generation proved that not all Klingons were villains. The Next Generation fleshed out the Klingon culture in a more empathetic way, and introduced the USS Enterprise-D ’s Klingon security officer Worf. Worf’s bravery and loyalty made him one of the most valuable assets to Captain Picard’s crew, and he returned as a major part of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ’s later seasons.

Cardassians

One of the most important new species introduced in The Next Generation was the Cardassians, who first appeared in the season four episode "The Wounded". Although the militaristic aliens were renowned for their brutality, unlike The Borg, each Cardassian character acted as an individual. The Cardassian species had developed their ruthless qualities as a result of many hardships, as their home planet had been ravaged by war and famine. The Cardassians kept their culture under strict authority, with a powerful surveillance system, dangerous police force, and strong nationalism within their military dictatorship. The Cardassians waged war against the Federation during Deep Space Nine when they joined the Dominion in an epic conflict.

While many of the most memorable Star Trek aliens are antagonists, the Ferengei are thankfully a great source of comedic relief. The quirky schemers tended to have greedy attitudes, but they haven’t historically been that malicious in nature. The Ferengei were more of a constant annoyance to Captain Picard’s Enterprise crew throughout The Next Generation than a threat like The Borg, and they even proved to be allies a few times. The Ferengi bartender Quark and his brother Rom added a great humorous addition to Deep Space Nine , which otherwise is one of the franchise’s more serious shows.

We’re always going to have a little trouble with Tribbles. The cute, furry species made their debut in the fifteenth episode of The Original Series season two, and fans are still a little divided on whether the adorable creatures are some of Star Trek ’s weakest features or one of its greatest assets. These plushy little guys tend to multiple, and they do it fast , causing problems for multiple generations of Star Trek heroes. Tribbled popped up again in The Animated Series episode “More Trouble, More Tribbles,” the Deep Space Nine episode "Trials and Tribble-ations,” and the Short Treks episode "The Trouble with Edward.” Amusingly, the Klingons considered the Tribbles to be their mortal enemies. Tribbles occasionally served a good purpose; in Star Trek Into Darkness , Bones is able to replicate Khan’s super blood in the Tribbles, thus saving Kirk’s life.

Den of Geek

Star Trek: The 50 Best Alien Races

From Tribble to Andorians, we're ranking the 50 best alien life forms explored in the Star Trek universe...

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The crews of the various iterations of Star Trek boldly went where no one has gone before — and then boldly met a crap ton of alien species.

Star Trek may be the human adventure, but there have been countless non-human beings, critters, menaces, gods, and blobs that have been introduced in the Star Trek  universe. From The Original Series to The Animated Series , to The Next Generation , to Deep Space Nine , the Delta Quadrant and Voyager , to the early adventures of Enterprise , to the modern day films, Star Trek has gifted fans with unforgettable species after species as the five-year mission has turned into five decades of first contact.

There have been vile races bred for combat, omnipotent races that use humankind as puppets, and even a bunch of cute little furry things.  Star Trek just keeps on delivering the cool aliens show after show, film after film. Just imagine the species that will soon be coming to Star Trek: Discovery ! But now is the time to celebrate the past as we present the fifty coolest Star Trek aliens ever to appear in films or TV.

50. Arcturian

First appearance: star trek: the motion picture (1979).

The Arcturian didn’t have a great deal of Star Trek screen time, but this alien race that resembled melted wax (eww) makes our list because it stands as a prime example of the story richness of the Star Trek  galaxy. An Arcturian can briefly be seen in Star Trek: The Motion Picture and the Mego toy company even made two versions of this blink and you’ll miss him creature (one 3 ¾ inch one 12 inch). But what intrigues us the most is this melty guy’s backstory…

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Star Trek costume crafters extraordinaire Fred Phillips and Robert Fletcher came up with a rich history for the Arcturian. According to Philips and Fletcher, the Arcturians were actually a race of clones that made up the bulk of the Federation’s infantry. While never seen on screen, there are legions of these guys running around, just waiting to be sent to some hostile planet to go to war. The Federation has always been portrayed as peaceful and benevolent, but it has the potential to unleash billions of melty looking monsters at a moment’s notice. Yikes.

Arcturians also appeared in the Star Trek daily comic strip and their back story continues to stand as a great example of the vast richness of the Star Trek galaxy, a place where billions of stories exist at all times. Including one about a race of wax soldiers that can be replicated and sent to do the Federation’s will. Eeep.

49. Edosian

First appearance: star trek: the animated series “beyond the farthest star” (1973).

Edosians are a tripedal species and are skilled at using their three arms and three legs in navigation and piloting. Lieutenant Arex, the loyal Enterprise navigator that first appeared in Star Trek: The Animated Series , is a proud member of the Edosian species and was a recurring character during this era of animated Trek. Arex was voiced by Scotty himself James Doohan and was a standout character in the era between The Original Series and The Next Generation .

Arex popped up in comics and novels and took his place of honor among the original crew. Arex also was a character that fully utilized animation as the six limbs and distinct alien features of this character would have been impossible to pull off in live-action back in the day. But thanks to The Animated Series , the distinctive Edosians live on and prosper in Trek lore.

48. Excalbians

First appearance: star trek: the original series “the savage curtain” (1969).

Listen, any species responsible for bringing Abraham Lincoln into the Star Trek  universe has to make this list. The Excalbians are a silicon based life form that possessed the ability to shape shift. These rock beings, who honestly looked like something Steve Ditko would have designed for Doctor Strange, were fascinated by the human notion of good and evil.

So they did what anyone would do in the same situation: they made a recreation of Abraham Lincoln and teamed it with Kirk, Spock, and famous Vulcan goodie-good Surak and sent them up against four representatives of evil — Kahless the Unforgettable of Qo’noS, Genghis Khan, Colonel Green of Earth and Dr. Zora of Tiburon. How’s that for a traditional Survivor Series match?

For this wonderful bit of schlock and for making us believe that Ben Grimm could work in live action in 1969, we salute the ever curious Excalbians.

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47. Caitian

First appearance: star trek: the animated series “the survivor” (1973).

The cat-like Caitians were represented in Enterprise history by M’Ress, a feline female that served both as engineer and a communications officer during The Animated Series . M’Ress spoke in a purring voice and was a skilled operative that stood side by side with the more iconic members of the Enterprise.

Now, I would like to talk about how cool the Caitians were. I would like to talk about how M’Ress was the main character in the Power Records’ Star Trek book and record set Star Trek: Passage to Moauv (1975). I would also like to talk about how a Caitian also appeared in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home …

But I just can’t help but wonder if Captain Kirk did what he does and somehow at some point bed down with this cat woman. This would make Kirk’s TV sci-fi’s first furry and I’m sort of fascinated by this idea. I don’t want to focus on this idea because it kind of reduces M’ress as a character and the Caitian as a race… But then I read that the alien twins that Kirk hooked up with in the first Abramsverse film were confirmed to be Caitian and everything just stirs up again and I fell absolved of all responsibility.

Anyway, M‘Ress and the Caitians might be considered obscure now, but she was a pretty big deal to Trek lore during The Animated Series era. So this race is a purr-fect addition to our list. Did the Enterprise come equipped with a giant litter box? Okay, I need to stop now; this is going to some bad places.

46. Bolians

First appearance: star trek: the next generation (1988).

The Bolians have been a perennial background species since their first Trek appearance in 1988. The first Bolian fans witnesses aboard the Enterprise was an ambassador, but many other Bolians have appeared around the Trek verse since. They have been seen as barbers, manicurists, Federation troops, and high ranking officials.

Bolians are distinctive due to their blue skin and their ridge that bisects their anatomy. They are highly friendly individuals and compassionate. In fact, an episode of Voyager puts forth that Bolians were  supportive of assisted suicide. These deep seated beliefs make the Bolians an intriguing species ripe for future Trek exploration.

45. Lurian

First appearance: star trek: deep space nine “the emissary” (1993).

Lurians were a very rarely encountered species that possessed multiple hearts, lungs, and stomachs. Fans got to know this ellusive species through DS9 regular/bar fly Morn. Yes, Morn is an anagram for Norm, because, like the famed Cheers fat man, in Quark’s Bar, everyone knew Morn’s name.

Morn was a bombastic and talkative fellow who fans never got to actually hear speak. He was a former thief that barely moved away from his bar stool. Morn was also fiercely loyal to Quark and got his little Ferengi pal out of many a jam. But mostly, Morn just sat there and drank stoically.

Although we only ever met one Lurian, we will always remember his name because Morn was such a constant (and inebriated) presence on Deep Space Nine . He also once had a torrid love affair with Jadzia Dax but that is a tale for another time. Raise a glass to the Lurians!

First appearance: Star Trek (2009)

So far, the rebooted Trek films have not really given funs much by way of alien species. The only classic races to get good screen time in the reboots have been Romulans and Vulcans. But the films did give us Keenser the Roylan, Scotty’s diminutive engineering pal.

Keenser first appeared in the first Trek reboot film as Scotty’s ever present companion when Scotty was exiled on the Federation outpost on Delta Vega. When Scotty beamed to the Enterprise, he left Keenser behind which was kinda sad. JJ Abrams and company must have thought so too as Keenser was all of a sudden part of the Enterprise’s crew in Star Trek: Into Darkness .

Keensar is ever loyal to his pal Scotty as the two share one of the best bromances in the galaxy. The fourteenth issue of IDW Publishing’s Star Trek comic gifted fans with Keensar’s origin. It also revealed the name of his species — Roylan — for the first time.

In this issue, fans learned that Keensar was constantly mocked by his peers because he was so tall (heh). It also revealed that Keensar served with distinction aboard the USS Kelvin and was shipmates with none other than George Kirk.

Keensar the Roylan is a constant presence in the new Trek Universe and I’m sure this member of the Roylan species will have many adventures to come.

43. Mugato

First appearance: star trek: the original series “a private little war” (1968).

Because sometimes in space, there are giant, poisonous horned gorillas. What’s not to love about Mugato? He’s kind of cute, very fuzzy, and is as poisonous as the nastiest snake. Poisonous gorillas in space, this is why we love Trek. Sadly, Mugato only appeared briefly, attacking and poisoning Kirk before being disintegrated by Doctor McCoy.

But, remember: as you watch the hard sci-fi and techno jargon of Trek, as you witness the human adventure of Roddenberry’s galaxy, as you watch carbon-based life forms achieve full potential and enlightenment, remember , in this same world there are fuzzy, horned, albino gorillas that will poison the crap out of you.

42. Acamarians

First appearance: star trek: the next generation “the vengeance factor” (1989).

The Acamarians are an advanced race of humanoids that have found a peaceful existence very late in its history. For centuries, the tattooed Acamarians lived in rival clans and their planet was split apart by warfare. One of the clan wars lasted three centuries and wiped one of the combating sides out of existence. When Picard’s Enterprise encountered the Acamarians, the people finally almost found peace.

However, a splinter group known as the Gatherers could not overcome centuries of clan warfare and refused to negotiate, so Picard had to navigate the complex web of Acamarians politics and bitterness as well as the assassination of the Gatherer ambassador to finally forge a peace with the Acamarians.

Despite all these issues, the Acamarians have a rich culture and mirror many contemporary Earth societies that have been splintered by war. Sci-fi works best when it reflects reality, and through the Acamarians, Trek fans got to see some really effective social commentary about tribalism and societal bitterness.

41. Denobulans

First appearance: enterprise “broken bow” (2001).

A Denobulan served aboard the very first Enterprise as the ship’s doctor, thus making the species vital to the origins of the Federation. Our medic in question, Phlox by name, was one of the main protagonists in Enterprise and was a staunch example of the exemplary qualities of the Denobulan race.

Denobulans are loyal but quite hedonistic by human standards. Denobulan males can take up to three wives while the entire race embraces polyamory. As humanity headed off into space aboard the first Enterprise, Phlox served as a constant reminder of the varied belief systems and practices the people of Earth would encounter as space exploration began.

Phlox and the Denobulan held ethics in high regard as Phlox would never allow a sentient being to suffer. Even though the ridge faced Denobulans had fierce tempers, they also were gentle and kind, and valued knowledge and pleasure over confrontation and violence.

Denobulans also have the propensity to puff out their faces when they were threatened — so, yeah, there’s that. Plus, Denobulans have really long tongues. What was it that I said about hedonism and Denobulans? Anyway, these cunning linguists were great doctors as seen through Enterprise ’s first mayor of the sickbay: Doctor Phlox.

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40. Orions

First appearance: star trek: the original series “the cage” (1966).

The green Orion slave dancer that shimmied into the dreams of Trek fans has been an iconic bit of Star Trek lore since her Shakiraesque debut, but the history of the Orions did not stop there…

Although a cosplay staple, the slave girl was just one Orion. Others have appeared in The Animated Series , Enterprise , novels, comics, toys, and one even prominently appeared in the J.J. Abrams Star Trek timeline as Uhura’s roommate and an early romantic partner of one James T. Kirk.

Orions are a species with close ties to the Federation — ties that are explored in some of the better episodes of Enterprise . Although the Orions will long be remembered because of the grinding of the hips of a slave dancer, there is so much more to this green-skinned humanoid species that has been part of Star Trek lore since almost day one.

39. Ocampans

First appearance star trek: voyager “caretaker part ii” (1995).

The Ocampans carry an importance to the Star Trek  universe because Kes, a noted member of the Ocampan species, was a member of the lost Voyager crew for three years. Ocampans are a race with powerful telekinetic powers but, sadly, this race of elf-like humanoids only have a life span of nine years. (So… combine Jean Grey with a mayfly and you get the idea.) 

Ocampans are very accepting of their short life span and a rather enlightened species. Through Kes, the crew of Voyager learned a lust for life as the wide eyed Ocampan enjoyed every minute of her existance even though she was trapped with the Voyager crew. When Kes’ power grew out of control, she left Voyager and her friends, including her constant companion Neelix, and used her abilities to push the lost Voyager out of Borg space and a year closer to home. This sacrifice taught the crew of the Voyager and fans of the show the innate nobility of the Ocampan race.

38. Vidiians

First appearance star trek voyager “the phage” (1995).

While the Ocampans were a nice, little, Tinkerbell-like species that fluttered about Voyager , there were also these Wes Craven nightmares… The Vidiians suffered a disease known as the Phage. The Phage is kind of like a hardcore space Ebola that utterly destroys the infected’s body and organs. So, yeah, Bones McCoy was sort of right about space being a petri dish of death and pain.

The ravaged Phage would wander the galaxy and rob sentients of their organs and body parts. So there you are, doing warp three with caution around the Delta Quadrant, and, all of a sudden, a few Vidiians beam unto your ship and rip out your liver and intestines. Then, they use said liver and intestines to replace their own — whether you filled out your Federation organ donor cards or not.

The Vidiians were eventually cured by the crew of the Voyager, but you have to assume that in a galaxy so big there are still some Vidiians cruising around out there taking hearts and lungs from innocent travelers. Yeesh.

37. Breen

First appearance: star trek deep space nine “indiscretion” (1995).

First off, cool points for the Breen because the helmet that this species wears looks kind of like the helmet Princess Leia used to disguise herself as a bounty hunter in Return of the Jedi . But the space awesomeness of the Breen doesn’t end there…

The Breen’s fighting prowess and technology are so advanced that even the Romulons and Klingon talk about this mysterious species in hushed whispers. And, indeed, when the Breen made themselves known to the Federation during the Dominion War, things got intense. These mighty warriors allied themselves with the Cardassians and the Dominion to take on the combined might of the Federation, the Klingons, and the Romulons.

During this conflict, the Breen destroyed the USS Defiant, the flagship of the Deep Space Nine space station, and managed to attack the Earth city of San Francisco. The Federation managed to develop counter weaponry to defeat the Breen, but many will remember these armored badassess as race of military specialists to be reckoned with.

The alliance with the Dominion cost the Breen, though, and — after the War — it wasn’t easy being Breen.

36. Hunters

First appearance star trek deep space nine : “captive pursuit” (1993).

Imagine a Trek alien that is pretty much Boba Fett mixed with Kraven the Hunter and you have these big game-tracking motherfuckers. The Hunters popped out of the Bajoran Wormhole and had their first contact with the Federation in the DS9 episode “Captive Pursuit.” In this stirring installment of this reporter’s favorite Trek show, fans were introduced to the Hunters and their chosen prey: the genetically enhanced Tosk.

The Hunters (whether this was the species name is unknown) would alter their Tosk prey in order to make the hunt more difficult. The pursuing of the Tosk was an obsession with the Hunters that rubbed members of the freedom loving Federation the wrong way.

The Hunters even gave the Federation a run for its money as the race of killers had advanced tech to assist them in their eternal hunt for Tosk. Sadly, the Hunters only appeared in one episode of Deep Space Nine , but their fighting skills and bloodthirsty rituals will be burned into the minds of Trek fans for a long time.

35. The Salt Vampire

First appearance: star trek: the original series “the man trap” (1966).

Old Salty here, or creature M-113, is a reminder that space can be a really, really dangerous place because there are things out there called Salt Vampires. And, no, this thing doesn’t just hang around a Pringles factory, it freakin’ shape shifts and then kills innocent people and drains them of their salt. Kirk and his crew first encountered this thing as it took the form of a number of the Enterprise’s crew. It almost killed Sulu, Yeoman Rand, Spock, and Kirk before being shot and killed by Dr. McCoy who had no time for such foolishness.

I suppose Kirk could have kept the Salt Vampire alive and just fed it Wetzel’s Pretzels (those things are like licking the ocean), but I guess Kirk felt that a shape shifting thing that looks like it was spat out of the ninth plane of hell that brutally kills people and drains them of sodium probably needed to be deleted from the universe. One has to wonder what special M-114 might be: Cinnamon Vampire?

34. Cheron

First appearance star trek: the original series “let that be your last battlefield” (1969).

When we first met the Cheron, there was only two members of this species left: Bele (played by the Riddler himself, the great Frank Gorshin) and Lokai. Bele was hunting Lokai whom Bele deemed a traitor after the planet Cheron was wiped out due to centuries of racial wars.

Apparently, some Cheron were black on the left and white on the right while other members of this advanced species possessed the opposite skin alignment. Due to this difference, the entire population — save Lokai and Bele — were eradicated. Bele hijacked the Enterprise and used his vast array of mental capabilities to hunt for Lokai.

The whole opposite was a thinly veiled, but powerful allusion to the destructive potential and sheer idiocy of racism — a message as powerful today as it was in the ’60s. Of course, you know I’m going to say that Mego made a Cheron doll, a toy I treasured in my childhood and called Oreo Man.

We should all have an Oreo Man during our most innocent years. But who knew my beloved Oreo Man was actually a genocidal racist madman that used his vast power to almost destroy the Enterprise? Oh, Oreo Man…

33. Nausicaans

First appearance: star trek: the next generation “tapestry” (1993).

One of the surlier races in the galaxy, Nausicaans are big hairy warriors that hire themselves out as mercenaries throughout the galaxy. A Nausicaan had quite the impact on the life of Jean-Luc Picard. When the future captain of the Enterprise was an ensign, he played a stirring game of domjot with some Nausicaan thugs (as one does). Picard and his pals accused the Nausicaans of cheating and the bad-tempered badasses stabbed Picard through the heart. This required Picard to get an artificial heart. (The more you know!)

The Nausicaans gave the crew of Deep Space Nine a hard time as well. This hairy race of pirates even encountered Captain Archer and the original crew of the Enterprise back in the day, proving that big hairy thugs that cheat at domjot remain big hairy thugs that cheat at domjot.

All that aside, Nausicaan fighting prowess is equal to the fighting prowess of Klingons and the only thing that keeps the Nausicaans from being more of a threat is their mistrust and their inability to come together as a species. Instead of being intergalactic conquerors, the Nausicaans have remained bullies, raider, and cheaters. But they do have killer 80s rocker hair, don’t they?

32. Kazon

First appearance: star trek: voyager “caretaker” (1995).

The Kazon were the first race that the crew of the Voyager encountered when they arrived in the Delta Quadrant, and — as far as d-bag, aggressive alien species go — the Kazon take the space cake (because when you put the word space in front of something, it sounds like you are in the future).

The Kazon race was separated into rival sects, which made negotiating with them as a whole almost impossible. They were once a slave race that served the Trabe, but the Kazon were a fractured species before and during its enslavement. Despite their disloyalty to each other, the Kazon were fierce combatants who were unwilling to negotiate a peace treaty with the Trabe or Voyager.

The Kazon had advanced technology and a back-stabbing blood thirst that introduced the crew of the Voyager to the Delta Quadrant and caused Voyager to be trapped in what was going to be a very hostile place, if the battle-hardened Kazon were any indication.

31. Metrons

First appearance: star trek: the original series “arena” (1967).

We do so love the Gorn. And what alien species was responsible for Kirk’s immortal battle with the Gorn? Why that would be the shiny and nigh omnipotent Metrons.

The Metrons possess tremendous mental powers and can control matter and energy. These human like aliens fiercely guard their sector of space and regard even the most minor intrusion as a great trespass punishable by death. When the Enterprise and a Gorn vessel find themselves in Metron space, the Metrons mentally teleport both Captains to a remote planet and force them to fight.

The Metrons are intensely xenophobic and regard other races as barbaric, so when Kirk spares the Gorn, the aloof Metrons are impressed and free both vessels. You see, a simple act of kindness was all it took to free the Enterprise from the Metrons’ wrath and impress a race of people that do not impress easily. Also, the Metrons wear sparkly evening gowns so they have that going for them…

30. Horta

First appearance: star trek: the original series “devil in the dark” (1967).

The Horta may look like a pile of bile soaked dog puke, but, hey, it was featured in William Shatner’s favorite Star Trek episode, so we have to give this blob of silicon its props.

The Horta was first encountered by a group of miners. After a miner was killed, Kirk and company were called to see what was up. They encounter the Horta, an extremely alien-looking beastie. After the creature is injured, Spock attempts a mind meld but the creature is in too much pain for Spock to connect with it. Soon, the crew of the Enterprise learns that the creature is the lone survivor of its race charged with protecting the eggs of the next generation of Horta. So Kirk and his pals dedicate themselves to protecting the thing’s little vomit eggs from the angry miners.

All jokes aside, the Horta was classic Trek alien: a semi-cheesy-looking beastie that stars in an episode with a powerful theme. The Horta was a prime example that all life has merit and even something that looks like a half-digested taco only wants to survive and thrive. By saving the Horta, the crew of the Enterprise shows that their most important mission is to contact and understand all life, no matter what it looks like. Thank you for that valuable lesson, Mr. Horta.

29. Greek Gods

First appearance: star trek: the original series “who mourns for adonis” (1967).

Wait, what? Oh, by the bristling beard of Zeus, the Greek Gods exists in the Star Trek  universe. 

The legendary deities of ancient Greece were actually super-powered aliens that lived on Pollox IV. They would visit Earth back in ancient times and bask in the worship of primitive humans. Well, the humans of the Enterprise were no primitives, and — when the Pollox IV alien that called itself Apollo trapped Kirk and his crew on the planet and refused to allow them to leave — Kirk and Spock fought back, kicking a god’s ass in the process.

Sadly, we never saw the other Greek gods. (Because could you just imagine Kirk versus Zeus?) But, it was established the other gods existed — and that they wore togas and laurel leaves like they were going to a frat party. The fact that this all exists in the same galaxy as Klingons and Borg just makes me very happy.

28. Hirogen

First appearance: star trek: voyager “message in a bottle” (1998).

The Hirogen are a nasty Delta Quadrant species of reptilian hunters that view any other sentient beings as prey. When the Hirogen chose a victim, the religious ritual of the Hunt began and all aspect of Hirogen culture centered on this blood sport. After the Hirogen tracked and captured its prey, they would remove the victim’s skeletal system, muscles, internal organs, ligaments, and tendons and keep these parts as trophies.

The Hirogen ran afoul of the Starship Voyager a number of times and Captain Janeway and her elite crew always found ways to defeat these hunters. In one of the Hirogen’s more bone headed moves, they created advanced holograms that could feel fear and pain. These thinking holograms quickly became more advanced than the Hirogen and turned the hunters into the hunted.

Despite this addlepated move, the Hirogen were always a feared species for those that traveled through the Delta Quadrant because they were essentially Predators dropped into the middle of the Star Trek universe.

27. El-Aurians

First appearance: star trek: the next generation “the child” (1988).

El-Aurian were a race of wise and peaceful people that transverse the galaxy to listen to the stories of others. When the Borg wiped out the El-Aurian’s home world, the galaxy lost a race of wise listeners… Or it almost did, because the surviving members of this race spread out across the galaxy.

Fans met the El-Aurians when The Next Generation introduced Guinan, the proprietor of Ten Forward, the bar of choice for the crew of the Enterprise. When Guinan came aboard, the members of the Enterprise had a kind and quick-witted being to bounce their problems off of, and Guinan listened. It was a shame that so many people like Guinan were lost to the Borg as the El-Aurians long lived goodness was a boon to the galaxy.

But not all El-Aurians were benevolent. Tollan Soran was an El-Aurian survivor that was aboard a ship of refugees with Guinan when the ships ferrying the El-Aurians refugees was lost to the fiery Nexus ribbon. It seemed that the legendary Captain Kirk was killed in this rescue attempt, but it turns out Kirk was trapped within the Nexus.

Soran became obsessed with returning to the Nexus and his Ahab like need for knowledge led to the first and only meeting between James T. Kirk and Jean Luc Picard. Soran was an anomaly to the El-Aurians species as most of the race used their centuries of wisdom to spread enlightenment wherever they went.

26. Tellarites

First appearance: star trek: the original series “journey to babel” (1967).

Along with Andorians and Vulcans, Tellarites were one of the first species to join the United Federation of Planets. A Tellarite first appeared in The Original Series episode “Journey to Babel,” where Sarek, Spock’s father, was framed for the murder of a Tellarite ambassador.

Sarek was able to solve the crime, freeing his name and forging a long-lasting peace with the Tellarities. Early contact with the Tellarites was recounted in Enterprise , but members of the specials also popped up in The Next Generation and even in a couple of films. Tellarites, with their distinctive beards, hooves, and stubbornness, have long been one of the backbone species of the Federation.

25. Tamarians

First appearance star trek: the next generation “darmok” (1991).

“Temba, his arms wide. Shaka, when the walks fell.” Who can forget these poetic, yet somewhat ominous phrases spoken by Dathon the Tamarian to Captain Picard when the two were trapped on a hostile world together?

Trek lore has it that the Federation and the Tamarians only had seven encounters over the years because the Tamarian language was so hard to comprehend. Well, if he was to survive, Picard would have to understand it (and fast) because Dathon beamed Picard down to the planet in order to teach the human captain a language that was as complex as it was beautiful.

It turns out Tamarians only communicate in metaphors (I’ve had grad school professors like that), and in order for the Federation and the Tamarians to build an accord, Picard would need to understand those metaphors. “Shaka when the walls fell,” has become quite a famous little moment of Trek myth as the Tamarians stand as a metaphor themselves — for cultural understanding and empathy.

24. Species 8472

First appearance: “star trek: voyager” part 1 (1997).

Species 8472 are so deadly that they even make the Borg poop their cybernetic underroos. (Hey, do you think when the Borg poops they all go at once? Or does one go make while the rest of the Collective just snickers? This is now the most ever written about Borg poop on the internet. Or is it? I’m not googling that.)

Anyway, Species 8472 existed in an extra-dimensional bit of hell known as fluidic space. When the Borg discovered the fluidic dimension, the ever deadly race of cybernetic killers busted through the dimensions and attempted to assimilate Species 8472. 8472 was having none of that and fought back, creating weapons that could slay the Borg with ease. In fact, 8472 was able to destroy the Borg Cubes in seconds. (Man, that’s like taking down the Death Star with a single bullet.) Sadly, Species 8472 also took out many innocent Delta Quadrant planets, which forced the crew of Voyager to get involved.

The Borg and Voyager had to form an unlikely alliance to drive Species 8472 back to fluidic space. 8472 was one of the closet things Trek fans ever got to Lovecraft-like cosmic horrors, as even the Borg could not stand up to these waling nightmares. This species appeared a few more times on Voyager until Captain Janeway was able to broker a peace with these terrors that exist behind the fabric of time and space.

23. The Gorn

Oh, the Gorn. Who doesn’t love Gorn? Of course, this rubbery looking and cold blooded reptilian monstrosity first appeared in the classic TOS episode “Arena,” where Kirk had to go mano-e-lizardo with the captain of a captured Gorn vessel. What followed was one of the most classic fights in Trek history as Kirk had to fashion a makeshift cannon to defeat this alien monster.

Despite its primitive appearance, future novels established the Gorn as a technologically-advanced race and, you just have to admit, Trek lore has not even scratched the surface of the Gorn. Imagine the spin offs. The Gorn Identity. Gorn to be Wild. Gorn on the Fourth of July. Fans were able to witness the Gorn home world for the first time in DC Comics’ Star Trek the Next Generation: The Gorn Crisis .

The Gorn were also one of the aliens made by Mego in its second set of Trek dolls. Fun fact: Mego’s Gorn looks nothing like the TV Gorn, as Mego just reused Marvel’s Lizard mold, painted it brown and decked old Gorny in the outfit used for the Klingon doll. Despite this lack of toy respect, and despite one of the cheapest prosthetic heads ever seen on TV, the Gorn’s battle with Kirk is still forever burned into Trek lore.

22. Tholians

First appearance: star trek: the original series “the tholian web” (1968).

Get a load of these psychedelic xenophobes. Yeah, the Tholians might look like a funky black light album cover come to life, but, really, they are brutal, territorial, hateful, and will do anything to keep other species out of Tholian territory. But, hey, they are known for the punctuality, so take heart in the fact that, when they kill you, it’ll be done in a timely fashion.

The Tholians cruise around their sector of space in geometric rainbow ships, making the aesthetic of the race more Yes album cover and less cool space despots. The Tholians first encountered the crew of the Enterprise when the USS Defiant flew too close to Tholian space.

Always protective of their borders, the Tholians phased the Defiant out of real space and into an interspace dimension. Kirk himself was phased out of time and space (for Shatner, it wouldn’t be the first or last time this happened), but Spock and the Enterprise were able to get their captain back and pimp-slap the Tholians.

The Enterprise under Jonathan Archer also ran afoul of these crystalline killers. The Tholians are a great example that in space, threats can come in any shape and even rainbows can kill you.

21. Talaxians

First appearance: star trek: voyager “caretaker” (1995).

One of the friendlier species of the Delta Quadrant, the Talaxians — or more accurately, an individual member of the Talaxian species — was pivotal to Voyager’s survival during the years it spent trapped in the Delta Quadrant.

Talaxians became dispersed throughout the Delta Quadrant after a devastating war with the Haakonian Order. Talaxians had no real home world, but that did not break their spirits. Talaxians are a very spiritual, upbeat, and whimsical race that — when confronted with two unpleasant paths to take in life — will find a third, happier path to traverse. This spiritual ability to find light and hope in any circumstance made the Talaxian Neelix indispensable to the crew of the Voyager.

Neelix was the cook and morale officer aboard Voyager and helped his friends out of many spiritual and literal crises. Throughout its wanderings in the Delta Quadrant, Voyager encountered many Talaxians that were always willing to lend a hand. Sadly, many aggressive species like the Borg also targeted the peaceful Talaxians — but, like Neelix, the Talaxians always found that third path.

Keep going, because we’ve got more aliens for you!

20. Organians

First appearance: star trek: the original series “errand of mercy” (1967).

When Kirk, Spock, and the crew of the Enterprise first encounter the Organians, a non-distinct humanoid species, this new race appeared to be akin to an 18th century agrarian Earth society. Spock commented that his tricoder has more technology than the entirety of the Organians planet.

Sadly, the Organians home world became caught up in a war between the Federation and the Klingons. Kirk warned the Organians leaders that war was coming but the Organians were completely unconcerned… When the Klingons arrived and began to take Organians hostages, the Organians remained unconcerned — because, apparently, the Organians are millions of years more advanced than either Klingons or humans. The Organians mentally disabled the Klingon and Federation ships in orbit around their planet and calmly disarmed Kirk, Spock, and the Klingons.

The Organians have an advanced form of ESP and can predict future events. They also can possess the bodies of others. An Organian told Kirk that, one day, Klingons and humans would be friends — something ‘ol James T. couldn’t wrap his head around, but something Next Gen fans would know to be true. So here’s to the Organians, the Amish space gods of the galaxy.

19. The Traveler

First appearance: star trek: the next generation “where no one has gone before” (1987).

Now, let’s all be honest. Yeah, we love Wil Wheaton as he is truly nerd royalty and has done a great deal over the last few years as a sort of geek ambassador. But, real talk: no one really liked Wesley Crusher. We love Wesley’s mom, Dr. Beverly Crusher, but Wes was kind of the Jar Jar Binks of Star Trek . The Traveler freed us of all of that.

The Traveler is a member of a mysterious race of immensely powerful beings. The Traveler could transverse time, space, and heavenly bodies at will and could use his thoughts to manipulate nature and reality. The Traveler seemed to be second only to Q in terms of power and omnipotence.

When the Traveler first met ‘lil Wesley Crusher, he compared the lad to Mozart. This caused Captain Picard to promote Crusher to ensign. Later in his Starfleet career, Crusher began to have doubts about his lot in Starfleet. The Traveler convinced Crusher to leave Starfleet after Crusher began to develop powers similar to the Traveler.

As Crusher’s powers grew, the Traveler took him on as protégé, teaching the former ensign how to best use his vast powers to help the galaxy. Wesley left the Enterprise with the Traveler as his very own Yoda and, for this, Trek fans hold a great debt to the Traveler as he freed us from the oft times insipid Crusher.

You know, looking back, I wouldn’t mind a novel or two explaining what happened to Crusher later in life. So, I guess we can give the Traveler credit for not only freeing us from Wesley, but also for making Bev’s boy into an interesting part of the Star Trek universe.

18. Crystalline Entity

First appearance: star trek: the next generation: “datalore” (1988).

The Crystalline Entity is basically the Galactus of the Star Trek  universe. The Entity is a giant, electromagnetic engine of cosmic death that lives to consume organic matter. It goes from planet to planet, absorbing all organic matter and leaving dry husks of death behind. A Crystalline Entity destroyed the outpost where Commander Data was created, essentially making Data an intergalactic android orphan.

Despite its destructive power, the Crystalline Entity is a beautiful sight: huge and multi-faceted, colorful and shimmering — frankly, an artist’s dream. But, behind the beauty, lies a bite that can lay waste to entire species.

This giant snowflake of death was pivotal in the origins of Data and is one of the most feared species in the entire galaxy. There are other Crystalline Entities out there in the void of space, but, thankfully, encounters with them are very rare. As of yet, no Crystalline Entity has been seen hanging out with a silver guy on a surfboard… but we remain hopeful.

17. Betazoid

First appearance: star trek: the next generation “encounter at farpoint” (1987).

For seven seasons and a handful of films, Star Trek fans got to know a very special Betazoid: Counselor Deanna Troi. Troi was an exemplary member of the Betazoid race — a mostly peaceful people that possess empathic and telepathic powers.

Most Betazoids, including Troi, use their powers for the benefit of others. The Enterprise was saved many times thanks to Troi and her fantastic abilities as she served with honor and distinction about the Federation flagship. Betazoids are indistinguishable for humans except for their all black irises. It’s a very cool thought that there is a race of Charles Xaviers in the Star Trek  universe and, with more Star Trek coming our way soon, let us hope we have the honor to meet more Betazoids.

Fun fact: Gene Roddenberry wanted the Betazoid women to have four breasts. Can you imagine trying to take Troi seriously with four breasts? Thankfully, Roddenberry was talked out of this silliness and the Enterprise’s resident Betazoid counselor became the stuff of Trek legend.

16. Talosians

First appearance: star trek pilot “the cage” (1965).

You know we had to include the first aggressive alien species ever encountered in a Trek episode. And, yes, we’ll get this out of the way quickly: the Talosians’ heads look like asses. We know. ‘Ol fanny foreheads. Butt heads. Get it all out of your system. Okay, done? Good.

The Talosians were the sole survivors of a nuclear holocaust. The remaining Talosians manifested the power to create illusions. These beings grew addicted to the illusions and abandoned technology. Like the Lotus Eaters of old, their existence was now tied to their narcotic-like illusions. Soon, the Talosians grew bored. The buttheads lured alien races to their planet and fed off the psyche of their victims.

Captain Pike of the Enterprise and his science officer Spock were drawn to the Talosian home world. The Talosians tempted the Federation officers with everything they could desire, but — through the minds of both men — the Talosians learned that humans hated captivity. The Talosians showed compassion and let Pike and Spock go. Later, Spock would return to the Talosian planet after Pike was left paralyzed. The Talosians once again showed compassion as they allowed the broken Pike to live his life on the planet.

The Talosian story ends sweetly, but just remember that, somewhere in the galaxy, there are siren-like, androgynous aliens (the male Talosians were actually played by female actors), ready to lore victims into a life of captivity. The Talosians were Trek’s first encountered, named alien species and they are also some of the most memorable as these illusion-casting humanoids set the standard for all Trek species going forward. Not bad for a bunch of ass-heads.

15. Vorta

First appearance: star trek: deep space nine “the jem’hadar” (1994).

The Vorta were genetically bred by the Founders to be the perfect military commanders and strategists of the Dominion. Vorta are sly, cunning, and corrupt. Try to imagine an entire species of Littlefingers and you get the idea.

In addition to the strategic acumen baked into Vorta DNA by the Founders, Vorta are also programmed to believe that the Founders are gods — and the Vorta serve their gods in all things. The Vorta created the Jem’Hadar and could clone themselves so the Dominion would never be without its master strategists for long. Even after death.

But, like the Jem’Hadar, the Vorta were programmed to serve. Upon capture or defeat, a Vorta was programmed to commit suicide, and during the Dominion War, many Vorta pulled the trigger on their own demise. The Vorta was one of the most cunning and immoral races Starfleet ever faced, even if the immorality was inserted into their genetic makeup by another species.

14. Xindi

First appearance: star trek: enterprise “the expanse” (2003).

The Xindi are a collective of six subspecies — avian, arboreal, primate, reptilian, insect, and aquatic — that form a single race. As a whole, the Xindi posed a great threat to the early Federation.

The Xindi worship a race known as the Sphere Builders and, when this mysterious race warns the Xindi that they will be involved in a war with Earth, the Xindi preemptively strike, killing millions of humans. Jonathan Archer and his crew take the fight to the Xindi who provide the first crew of the Enterprise its greatest challenge.

The Xindi was one of the first warnings to humanity that not every race is benevolent as the six races of this advanced culture reined death upon an Earth that was still getting used to the idea of contact with alien life.

13. Trill

First appearance: star trek: the next generation “the host” (1991).

Trills are an advanced species of humanoid that are passionate and kind in most of their dealings. Some Trills are joined with wise Symbiotes that chose different member of the Trill species with which to share a mutual bond. The Symbiotes retain the personalities and memories of each host and pass these aspects on to the new hosts.

The first Trill Trek fans encountered was named Odan. Odan quickly struck up a romance with Dr. Beverly Crusher and, when Odan was tragically killed, the Symbiote was moved into the body of William Riker. Riker had long been friend-zoned by Crusher, so this began one of the most awkward romances in Trek history.

It also gave fans the legacy of the Trill, a legacy that continued into Deep Space Nine with the beloved Jadzia Dax. Through Dax, fans learned about almost every aspect of Trill life. It was a fascinating meditation of duality, sexuality, and identity and the character of Jadzia Dax was almost a dozen disparate characters in one. When Jadzia was lost, the Symbiote moved into Ezri Dax, a wonderful new character that continued the exploration into what it is like being many beings at once.

12. Tribbles

First appearance: star trek: the original series “the trouble with tribbles” (1967).

They’re fuzzy, they squeak, they can be deadly — who doesn’t love Tribbles? Ask any casual fan to name a Trek alien, and there’s a good chance Mr. Joe on the street guy will say Tribbles because these bundles of fur are just that darn famous.

“Trouble with Tribbles” — The Original Series  installment that first introduced these puff balls — allowed Shatner, Nimoy, and company to really flex their comedy chops. But, when you break down the threat the Tribbles represented, they actually are pretty terrifying… Imagine a species that reproduces so fast, a ship can be suffocating on the things in a matter of days. That’s a bit more Giger than Pokemon.

Despite the threat, the Tribbles also brought the laughs to generations of fans. Of course, the Tribbles were revisited in the classic DS9 episode “Trials and Tribble-ations” and also played a major role in the recent film Star Trek: Into Darkness . To quote a great man from a rival space franchise: “Not bad for a little fuzzball.”

11. Jem’Hadar

One of the greatest and most efficiently deadly militaries the galaxy have ever seen, the foot soldiers of the Dominion — the Jem’Hadar — are also one of the more tragic species that can be found in the Trekverse.

Jem’Hadar reach maturity in the span of about three days. They are genetically programmed to be the perfect galactic foot soldier by their masters, the Vorta. To insure control, the Vorta have withheld an essential enzyme from the Jem’Hadar genetic makeup. This enzyme is supplied to the Jem’Hadar in the form of The White, a liquid that the Jem’Hadar has filtered into their systems through a tube in their necks. Essentially, Jem’Hadar are drug-addicted soldiers unleashed upon the galaxy.

The Jem’Hadar were the main Dominion force that laid siege to Deep Space Nine during the Dominion War and were nearly unstoppable. The need for The White was a religion to the Jem’Hadar, who became one of the most feared species in any quadrant.

Jem’Hadar are incredibly resilient and possess keen minds that help them plan for battles. Despite all this, most Jem’Hadar die very young due to the fact that they are essentially cannon fodder for the Dominion. Yet, the Jem’Hadar value duty and loyalty above all else as they embrace their lot as pawns of the Dominion. All for The White.

The Top 10 Star Trek aliens await on the next page!

10. Changeling

First appearance: star trek: deep space nine “the emissary” (1993).

As we all know, life in the Trek universe can take many and varied forms. One of the most profoundly different races of the Trek galaxy are the Changelings, a race of intelligent liquid-based shape shifters that reshaped the political climate of the galaxy with the same ease that they reshape their bodies.

The Changelings were also known as The Founders and were the puppet masters behind the Dominion War. From their wormhole homeworld, the Changelings manipulated the universe. The Founders used entire races like chess pieces showing the Federation and its enemies that there are beings that exist within and behind the galaxy that are willing to go any lengths for power.

But not all Changelings were adversarial. Through Odo, Trek fans saw another side to this fascinating species. Odo was the constable aboard DS9 , a by-the-books cop who went to any lengths (literally) to solve crimes. He was a defender of his Federation friends, particularly Kira Nerys the woman he learned to love. When the Founders merged their liquid forms with Odo, they learned about humanity, and his love and bravery spread even to the hidden spaces of the galaxy.

Plus, The Changelings are an alien species that can easily disguise themselves as furniture. You can’t teach that!

9. Andorians

First appearance: star trek: the original series “journey to babel” (1968).

The Andorians are an aggressive yet advanced race that was one of the first alien races that formed the original Federation of Planets with humanity.

The Andorians have distinctive blue skin, white hair, and two protruding antennae. The blue skinned humanoids have an advanced armada and a long history of conflict with the Vulcans. This conflict was put aside as Andorians entered into the Federation and, with it, decades of peace. But peace wasn’t easy, as seen in Star Trek: Enterprise,  in which Federation Captain Archer and Andorian Captain Thy’lek Shran developed an adversarial relationship that, thankfully, culminated in a friendship based on mutual respect.

The Andorians are more than a bit xenophobic as they refer to humans and Vulcans as “pink skins” and have a long standing mistrust of everything not Andorian. In fact, the Andorians don’t even trust their offshoot race, the very rarely encountered, white-skinned, psychic Aenar.

Enterprise is a bit unfairly-maligned by some Trekkers, but it will always be the show that took the Andorians from background characters to a narratively-explored race with deep contradictions. Of course, I need to mention that the Andorian was also one of the final Trek dolls Mego produced. It is very sparkly.

8. Ferengi

First appearance: star trek: the next generation “the last outpost” (1987).

I would  tell you some facts about the Ferengi, but I’d have to charge you about ten bars of (snarl, drool) gold-pressed latinum first. Because that’s what drives the Ferengi race: cold, hard, glimmering, wonderful cash-money.

By the time fans met the crew of the Kirk’s Enterprise, most races in the galaxy had abandoned cash-based economies to focus on the improvement of science and technology for all beings. But not the Ferengi. These big-eared, fanged critters utilize science and technology to procure cash and heaven help any sentients that stand in their way.

Fans first me the Ferengi in Next Gen as the greedy race of miscreants became the first real adversaries Picard’s crew had to face. The Ferengi in Next Gen were vile and greedy, sort of like spacefaring Daffy Ducks. But, in Deep Space Nine , fans were introduced to Quark, Rom, Nog, and other Ferengi that had a streak of nobility. Oh, they were still as greedy as they come, but this Ferengi family, saved the DS9 space station more than once. Heck, Nog even became the first Ferengi to serve in Starfleet.

In DS9 , fans learned many of the finer points of Ferengi culture. For example, Ferengi women aren’t allowed to wear clothes. In addition to their odd dress codes, the Ferengi live by the Rules of Acquisition, an almost religious text that teaches the Ferengi the best ways to make money. Quark constantly had to choose between loyalty to his friends and his Ferengi impulses for cash and this often humorous double nature led to some fun dramas.

But, if you have a piece of latinum in your pocket, be warned that there are many Ferengi out there who would kill for it because that is the Ferengi way.

7. Romulans

First appearance: star trek: the original series “balance of terror” (1966).

All sentient races in the galaxy have a good, healthy fear of the Romulans — and with good reason. In many ways, the Romulans are like the anti-Vulcans. In fact, Romulans are an offshoot of the Vulcan race. Centuries ago, the Romulans rejected the Vulcan idea of repression of emotions and struck out on their own, finally settling on the twin planets Romulus and Remus and forging an empire.

Where Vulcans are cold, collected, and benevolent, Romulans are fiery, aggressive, and often power hungry. This passionate need to conquer led to the Earth/Romulan war, the first time humanity experienced total war on an intergalactic scale. Earth was eventually victorious and, during the conflict, no human ever actually saw a Romulan. Years later, it was the crew of the Enterprise that actually saw what Romulans looked like and it was Mr. Spock that postulated a common ancestry between Vulcans and Romulans.

The Romulans were based on the aggressiveness and culture of the Roman Empire, which is seen through the race’s military aggression and clothing. Despite years of ill will, the Romulans sided with the Federation in the Dominion War. A Romulan also changed reality, as fans of the new Trek films know…

A Romulan named Nero used a Red Matter device to destroy Romulus and punch a hole in time and space. Nero then went back in time and destroyed the USS Kelvin, causing a new reality to splinter off from the original Trek timeline — a reality Trek fans are currently enjoying in films.

Romulans have touched every part of Trek history and have even created a huge amount of it. They continue to serve as a counterpoint to the Vulcans and their name brings fear and respect throughout the Trek galaxy.

If you can imagine God in the Star Trek   universe, you understand Q. Q isn’t a kind god or an emotionally-distant god, hungry for worship. Q is a curious god that wants to test the intelligent races of the galaxy — particularly Jean-Luc Picard, captain of the Enterprise.

Q is a member of The Q, a race of omnipotent beings that observe the universe from afar and interfere in the lives of mortals when it suits their whims. The Q are a force of nature, appearing when and where they want to bring gifts or utter destruction to lesser beings. It all depends on a Q’s whims. Q became a sometimes-ally, sometimes-antagonist to the crew of the Enterprise and even popped up on DS9 and Voyager . (And, really, how awesome would it be to see Q pop into J.J. Abrams’ Kelvin Universe?)

Q is everywhere and everything. Wherever Q went, great storytelling followed — mostly because of the deeply complex and often comedic relationship between Q and Picard. Whether it was TV, comics, or novels (most notably the eminently readable Q Continuum trilogy by Greg Cox), The Q’s force of nature omnipotence have made them one of the most feared and gloriously divine species in the Trek universe. Yes, in Trek, Q definitely stood for quality.

5. Bajorans

First appearance: star trek: the next generation “ensign ro” (1991).

It is apropos that the Bajorans and Cardassians are so close on this list because the two races are forever linked in the mind of Trek fans. Trekkers first met the Bajoran through Enterprise Ensign Ro Laren, a fiery and ultra-capable young Starfleet cadet.

Ro had everything it took to get ahead in Starfleet. She was loyal, dedicated, brilliant, and strong willed. Yet, the past of her people, the Bajorans, was filled with so much tragedy. The loyalty to her race led Ro away from Starfleet and into the waiting arms of the Marquis, a group that abandoned Starfleet to form a renegade fleet of rebels dissatisfied with Federation doctrine.

Ro’s discontent was expanded upon by the inclusion of the Bajorans in Deep Space Nine . In DS9 , fans learnt of the suffering that the Bajorans were forced to endure at the hands of the Cardassians. Bajorans were a race of freedom fighters, a highly scientific and artistic race that had to embrace militarism and xenophobia in order to survive.

In DS9 , fans learned almost every aspect of the Bajoran race. What began with Ro continued the Kira Nerys, the second in command of the Deep Space Nine space station and a woman who would do anything to keep her people free and punish her former oppressors.

DS9 introduced many Bajoran notables in its many seasons, and not all of them were benevolent. Of all the races introduced in Star Trek , the Bajorans might be the most tragically human as they had to see their own darkness in order to survive the unthinkable in order to survive the Cardassians.

4. Cardassians

First appearance: star trek: the next generation “the wounded” (1991).

Nowhere in the Trek universe have there been a race more troubling, more complex, and more narratively-interesting race than the Cardassians. Fans first met the lizard like, leathery Cardassians in the Next Gen episode entitled “The Wounded,” in which the martial struggle between the Cardassians and the Bajoran was introduced.

The Cardassians were first seen as Nazi-like war criminals that committed a horrible genocide against the Bajoran people. The anger against the Cardassians, amongst other points of discontent, caused a large segment of Bjorn sympathizers to break off from the Federation and form the Marquis.

Cardassians warred with both the Federation and the Klingon Empire and took both fleets to the absolute limits. When the Cardassian/Bjorn conflict ended with the Bajoran victorious, it was up to the Federation to help the galaxy heal. The Federation set up the Deep Space Nine space station to oversee this transition of power as Cardassians began to be tried for war crimes that were simply unthinkable in such an enlightened galaxy. 

At this time, fans met Gul Dukat and Garak. Garak in particular demonstrated that there was more to the Cardassians than violence. He became a DS9 wildcard who, for the most part, was loyal to peace and harmony.

However, both Garak and former Cardassian military leader Gul Dukat had spilled their fair share of blood and the Cardassians began to stand-in for any race that committed genocide. Parallels were drawn not only to the Nazis but to Imperialistic Europe and to America’s treatment of indigenous peoples as well.

The Cardassians were a difficult mirror to look into because they exposed many societal flaws of the contemporary world. Through rich, powerfully crafted characters like Garak, Trek reminds viewers that in all species, there is the capacity for tremendous good and unthinkable evil.

3. Borg

First appearance: star trek: the next generation “q who” (1989).

Throughout Trek history, the wonderful men and women who have crafted stories for Star Trek have often reminded fans that space can be a cruel and terrible place — but no race has represented the horrors of the Final Frontier more than the Borg.

The Borg is a race of cyborg drones that share a hive mind. Their only aim is to assimilate the universe and make all Borg. Borg are mindless automatons that answer to the Borg Queen and the Collective. They are unstoppable and fiercely efficient. The Borg roam the galaxy in their distinctive Borg Cubes and, when they encounter any organic race, that race is forcibly assimilated into the Borg. All hopes, history, art, passion, and individuality become part of the Collective while the individual becomes a living weapon, a husk dedicated only to the Borg. Famously, Jean-Luc Picard fell to the Borg and was transformed into Locutus. As Locutus, Picard came an eyelash away from assimilating the Enterprise.

Later, through characters like Hugh Borg and Seven of Nine, some humanity was given to the Borg. Hugh was an injured Borg healed by Picard’s crew, while Seven of Nine broke her programming and served on Voyager. Through both characters, more and more history was revealed about the Borg. Fans even got to meet the Borg Queen in the film Star Trek: First Contact  — and what an H.R. Giger nightmare that was.

Throughout the decades, Star Trek has been the most hopeful of sci-fi franchises. Trek is infused with humankind’s potential for greatness and a hope for an enlightened future. The Borg serve as a reminder that technology can lead to paradise, yes, but it can also lead to a cold future of pure horror where individuality is worthless and resistance is futile.

2. Klingons

When we first met the Klingons, they were classically humanoid aliens that mirrored the worst of humanity. In the earliest Klingon appearances, Klingon society was portrayed as brutal and despotic. They were slave masters that would do anything to crush any opposition.

The Klingons were constant threats. At times, the Klingons seemed to be analogous to the Nazi Third Reich. In other instances, they resembled Communist Russia. But whatever real world nightmare the Klingons represented at any given moment, whenever a Klingon Bird of Prey warped into a confrontation with the Enterprise, fans know that intense action would follow.

When the Klingons returned in Star Trek: The Motion Picture , this brutal race’s appearance was altered. Suddenly, Klingons were shown to have deep forehead ridges and a more bestial appearance. The real reason this was done was because Trek now had a budget, but there has never been an in story reason for the Klingon alteration. This just adds to the mystique of the Klingon race.

Klingons take the next step of their story evolution in Star Trek: The Next Generation . Now, a Klingon served on the bridge of the Enterprise, and it could be argued that this Klingon — Mr. Worf — was the very model of what a Starfleet officer should be. Through Worf, Next Gen explored every aspect of Klingon culture and made it more like a race of honorable technologically-advanced Vikings or Mongols than an analogy to fascism. That exploration continued into Deep Space Nine and, through the half Klingon-half human engineer B’Elanna Torres, onto Voyager .

There is an actual a Klingon language that exists in the real world. A whole freakin’ language has been created inspired by these honorable and violent warriors of the cosmos. So, raise a glass of Klingon Warnog, grab your Bat’leth, and salute the Klingons — a race that started out as typical villains, but evolved into one of the most engaging and inspiring races in the galaxy.

1. Vulcans

Is there any race in genre fiction more beloved than the Vulcans? This race of logic-driven, emotionless, pointy-eared people have defined the Star Trek experience since day one.

In the Star Trek pilot, “The Cage,” the world was introduced to science officer Spock, a cold, calculating yet brave and benevolent alien who loyally assisted his captain. Fifty years later, Spock is still the strong right hand of the Enterprise. The Vulcan’s lack of emotion serves as a perfect narrative contrast to human nature, with the interactions and differences between Spock, McCoy, and Kirk as the beating heart of Trek since Roddenberry first put pen to paper.

But the wonder of the Vulcans don’t end with Spock. Over the decades — through countless books, films, TV episodes, and comics — many Vulcans have taken center stage and have, in the words of the most famous Vulcan of them all, fascinated fans for generations…

There has been Sarek, Spock’s father who dared to follow his emotions and take a human wife. There has been Tuvok, the brave and able Vulcan officer who served on Voyager. There has been T’Pol, the sometimes cold but always loyal commander that served as the first officer of the first Enterprise. By being so alien, all these characters and so many more have shown the world what it means to be human.

Trek lore has delved deeply into Vulcan history, creating one of most fully-functioning and detailed fictional worlds in all of sci-fi. Sadly, in the latest set of Trek films, Vulcan has fallen and this magnificent race is endangered. But take heart that Spock, Vulcan and Earth’s favorite son, is endeavoring to rebuild the race that has long made Star Trek so awesome.

Marc Buxton

Marc Buxton is an English teacher/private tutor by day,and a super-hyper-uber geek by night. Marc spent six years on the frontlines as a comic retailer before…

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• The Atoner : The Nacene had no idea that their technology would be so destructive to the Ocampan atmosphere. They could never repay the debt, and so two of the Caretakers stayed behind to feed them energy and water.
• Author's Saving Throw : invoked Suspiria was initially conceived of as a "get out clause," designed to change the format of VOY if such a need arose. This was because the Paramount executives were leery of the lost-in-space premise that was central to the story, and wanted an ejection button prepared in case the show didn't perform well. As it turned out, the Caretakers appeared only twice, and Voyager found other methods to get back home.
• Blob Monster : The Caretaker is a great big translucent blob. His mate, Suspiria, is a tentacled pillar of goo.
• Did You Just Romance Cthulhu? : At the start of VOY, the Caretaker has reached the end of its 1,000-year lifespan and could no longer maintain the Ocampa habitat. It begins snatching random spacecraft from various ends of the Milky Way to find a suitable mate (as you do).
• A Form You Are Comfortable With : The Caretaker first appears to the Voyager crew as an elderly human, Banjo Man. His inner chamber is a holodeck which conceals itself as a ranch . Suspiria cloaked herself in the guise of a little girl in Victorian dress.
• Hostile Terraforming : Accidental. The engines of the Nacene's exploratory vessel caused a contamination in the atmosphere of the planet, reducing it to a desert.
• Last of Their Kind : The Caretaker was left high and dry after his companion, Suspiria, parted with him over ideological differences.
• No Body Left Behind : The Nacene shrink down into a tiny piece of crystal when killed.
• Power Floats : The Caretaker is a Metroid . Didn't see that one coming in 1995...
• Sufficiently Advanced Aliens : Slightly skewed — the Ocampans do not recognize the Nacene as God, but more of a benign ruler or father. The Caretaker's inner sanctum is just a fancy holodeck. However, they do have the tech sufficient enough to transport ships across entire galaxies, though apparently only in one direction.
• This Was His True Form : The Caretaker only reveals his real form when a Kazon warship crashes into the array, causing his holograms to fail. This exposes the 'farmhouse' as the interior of an alien ship.
• What Happened to the Mouse? : One of them is still out there somewhere…
• Woman Scorned : The Caretaker did not realize that his philanthropy was rendering the Ocampa utterly dependent on his assistance. His mate, Suspiria, did realize this and left the planet, taking a small group of Ocampa with her. She later hunts down Voyager to avenge the Caretaker's death.

• Alien Hair : Most Nausicaans tend to have long, occasionally braided hair rather closely resembling styles worn by Hair Metal bands.
• Always Chaotic Evil : Every Nausicaan seen is malevolent. They're basically space orcs.
• The Brute : The Nausicaans are large, violent humanoids with a reputation for being thugs or bodyguards.
• The Bully : The three Nausicaans who heckled Picard and his friends especially, although many of the other Nausicaans seen embody this trope.
• Combat Pragmatist : Nausicaans have no problem with cheating or fighting dirty.
• Dumb Muscle : Nausicaans aren't particularly bright, but their strength makes them ideal bodyguards, enforcers and strike-breakers.
• Evil Sounds Deep : Most of them have deep voices, and all of them, or at least all the ones shown, are evil and brutish.
• Gonk : Demonstrated quite clearly in the above image.
• Hair-Trigger Temper : It doesn't take much to make a Nausicaan mad.
• In the Back : As a young Jean-Luc Picard found out, the Nausicaans have no problems doing this during a fight.
• Macho Masochism : In one episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , a pair of Nausicaan bodyguards can be seen passing the time by throwing darts at each others' chests . It's also mentioned during the same scene that most Nausicaan games involve pain.
• Meaningful Name : The Nausicaans take their name from Nausicaa , which means "burner of ships." Given the species' penchant for being marauding pirates, it fits quite well.
• Named After Their Planet : Their homeworld is called Nausicaa.
• Proud Warrior Race Guy : Kind of. The Nausicaans love to fight, but their conduct tends to be less than honorable.
• Smarter Than You Look : Those Old Scientists reveals their species managed to invent a Time Machine , though fueling the thing is a problem.
• Space Pirates : One of the most prevalent examples of such in the franchise, especially in Star Trek: Enterprise .
• Trash Talk : Tends to come with the species' boorish nature.

• Kes experienced a rapid and uncontrollable blossoming of her mental abilities in adulthood. She left the ship and allowed this process to complete itself, apparently evolving into a being of pure energy.
• Tanis also claimed that Kes could join Suspiria in a subspace layer called Exosia, which he described as a realm of pure thought.
• Beneath the Earth : The Nacene, upon realizing their mistake, took upon themselves the responsibility of caring for the Ocampa. The Caretakers built a massive underground cavern with access to the only remaining natural water source on the planet and supplied it with energy via transmissions from an orbital "Array."
• Bizarre Alien Biology : The Ocampa only live about a decade, so their puberty is extremely accelerated, and generally entails extremely exaggerated appetite and massaging their feet also helps somehow...
• Living Macguffins : It does seem a little odd, considering the Caretaker's immense capacity to send ships across the universe, that he couldn't find a habitable world to migrate the Ocampa to (a common occurrence throughout the Trek saga). But then we wouldn't have had a series if he'd done that.
• All Ocampa appear to be natural telepaths, able to communicate across great distances (putting the Vulcans to shame). Among the more colorful abilities are photographic memory, precognition, telekinesis, pyrokinesis, time travel, and the ability to alter matter on the subatomic level .
• Tanis, an Ocampa living on Suspiria's array, demonstrated to Kes that she could control living things, causing them to grow or die as she wished .
• Named After Their Planet : Ocampa.
• Playing with Fire : They can create fire by manipulating the subatomic.
• Short-Lived Organism : Ocampa age very rapidly, resulting in an average life span of only nine years (less than that of a household pet). As an upside, they develop and learn extremely quickly.
• Single-Biome Planet : Their homeworld is a desert from pole to pole, without a single river or ocean to its name. Justified in that this is the result of an environmental disaster caused by Nacene explorers: the atmosphere lost the ability to produce rain, resulting in Global Warming that evaporated all the water on the surface and trapped it in a thick atmosphere.
• Telepathy : They can occasionally read minds or sense presences.
• We Have Become Complacent : As a result of their lifestyle of ease under the Nacene, the Ocampa eventually stopped using their mental powers, causing them to atrophy.
• Writers Cannot Do Math : At peak reproductive rates, the population would halve every generation since females can only produce a single offspring once. A species this short-lived really ought to produce litters. This means one of two things: that the evolution of the Ocampa race was interrupted when the Nacene took over, altering their genetic code (thus requiring the constant supervision of the Nacene), or that the Ocampa naturally mature into pure energy, rendering their corporeal lives somehow moot.

• Above Good and Evil : They take a rather hands-off approach to organic life; they don't interfere with their business, and will leave them to live or die in a nearly callous fashion.
• Alien Non-Interference Clause : They consider interfering with the affairs of others to be utterly repulsive; their true nature would probably never have been brought to light if the Klingons and Federation hadn't been champing at the bit for a war over their planet.
• Ascend to a Higher Plane of Existence : Like the Q, the Organians used to be humanoids, but became energy beings millions of years ago.
• Can't Argue with Elves : They give humanity and the Klingons a fairly brutal dressing-down before leaving, making it clear they have no intention of dealing with their crap. Even Kirk admits he sort of deserved it in this instance, though.
• The Empath : Part of their pacifism stems from the fact that they find the intense, discordant emotions of less highly-evolved beings to be downright painful. It doesn't quite work as a Poke in the Third Eye , though.
• Energy Beings : Their true form. Their humanoid appearance is just something they use to interact with humanoids. Their energy-based forms are basically blobs of light so intense it hurts to look directly at them.
• A Form You Are Comfortable With : On their own planet, they take on the form of a simple pre-industrial culture to communicate with outsiders, and don't give anyone else any reason to suspect otherwise unless in extreme circumstances.
• Grand Theft Me : They take over the bodies of Malcolm and Travis while observing the NX-01's approach to dealing with a lethal alien virus.
• Laser-Guided Amnesia : They induce this on the crew of the NX-01, keeping them from remembering their presence. Other media suggests they may have done this to the rest of the galaxy at large after making the Federation and the Klingons play nice with the Treaty of Organia.
• Perfect Pacifist People : They put up no resistance against Klingon occupation, and calmly accept all their demands. It helps that they're never actually in danger from the Klingons, and for all their power, they seem to utterly despise violence.
• Reality Warper : They seem to be this, capable of making their home planet into what looks like a primitive pre-industrial world with ease... not to mention what they can do from a distance.
• Screw You, Elves! : Surprisingly, Archer is more successful at arguing with them than Kirk, calling them out for their callous attitude in leaving two of his crew to die.
• Sufficiently Advanced Aliens : Indeed, with the usual The Omnipotent , The Omniscient , and The Omnipresent tropes applicable to them and their abilities. They personally enforce the peace between the Federation and the Klingons, preventing a direct attack by superheating any weapons they intend to use - even fists. They seem to have the same godlike powers as the Q, but are usually a bit more subtle and hands-off with them.
• Walking Spoiler : Their nature as energy-based godlike beings isn't revealed until the end of their debut episode, and their identity is kept hidden until near the end of their only other appearance.
• What Happened to the Mouse? : Despite being personally responsible for preventing the Klingons and the Federation from diving into war in 2267 - and presumably, for enforcing the peace treaties afterwards - they are nowhere to be seen by the time of the Original Series movies, and war with the Klingon Empire is treated as a legitimate threat again.

• Aerith and Bob : In " Something Borrowed, Something Green " we learn that some Orion names sound a lot like human names, for example Tendi's sister and dad are named D'Erica (Erica) and B'Rt (Bert) respectively, one of the crew members on the Orion ship at the beginning of the episode also named D'Bora (Deborah).
• Bald of Evil : In Enterprise , male Orions (those that we see in the Syndicate, anyway) are hairless. Discovery , however, depicts males as having hair too.
• Bizarre Alien Biology : According to Osyraa, "Orion hearts have six valves. Blood flows in both directions."
• Distracted by the Sexy : In addition to their natural looks, some Orion females can release pheromones that can disorient and even control humanoid males.
• Equal-Opportunity Evil : By the 24th century setting of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , the Orion Syndicate's ranks include a lot more non-Orions than seen in previous series. That said, there are certain places which are Orion-only, with Tendi warning Mariner (a human) that she will be killed on the spot unless she disguises herself as an Orion.
• Gargle Blaster : Orion delaq is seriously strong stuff, capable of effecting humans and Vulcans alike (when Vulcans are typically immune to stuff that would knock humans flat) with a potent Mushroom Samba , the symptoms of which make sufferers start seeing themselves with odd proportions, altered facial features (such as missing lower eyelids and reduced pupil size), and strangest of all, like they were an animated cartoon.
• Green-Skinned Space Babe : Orion women are the Trope Namer , treated in-universe as being irresistible sex symbols.
• Matriarchy : Despite appearances, it is actually the women who control Orion society, using their pheromones to manipulate the men around them. Although these pheromones, and the men actually being slaves, are Early-Installment Weirdness concepts that don't feature after being introduced in "Bound" . Lower Decks would later clarify that not ALL Orion females have this ability, with Tendi showing repeated annoyance at people who perpetuate the stereotype.
• Named After Their Planet : The planet Orion.
• N.G.O. Superpower : By the 32nd century, the Orions and the Andorians have teamed up to form a huge syndicate called the Emerald Chain, which poses a legitimate threat to the Federation (which was badly reduced by the Burn in circa 3069) and serves as the Big Bad of Star Trek: Discovery 's third season.
• No-Sell : They're capable of surviving in an environment with a high concentration Nitrous oxide in the air (high enough that a human would suffer a full blown Mushroom Samba ) without any debilitating effects.
• Pheromones : As mentioned up above, Orion women can give off pheromones which control men. Not so much other women, for whom they just cause extremely vicious headaches. Lower Decks implies it also does the same for some Orion men, and how strong they come off is a seasonal thing.
• Planet of Hats : Subverted . While it's assumed that all Orions are Space Pirates , it's something of stereotype the species tries to forget.
• Ruthless Modern Pirates : Syndicate ships often raid civilian vessels, both for material goods and slaves for auction.
• Sex Slave : Their women are usually sold for this purpose, although many of them have been known to turn the tables on their new masters to elevate themselves into positions of power.
• Sexy Dimorphism : In their original appearances, there was a notable contrast between the "green animal women", held in-universe to be among the most gorgeous and voluptuous of all humanoid females, and their men, who although they were very big and muscular were not good-looking. Star Trek: Discovery introduced more conventionally attractive and/or slender-framed Orion males, including male Orion sex workers in a co-ed Orion brothel on Qo'Nos.
• Space Pirates : Orions are notorious for being this.
• The Syndicate : The Orion Syndicate, easily one of the most powerful criminal organizations known to exist in the Star Trek universe... at least until the Emerald Chain (also Orion-led) succeeded it in the 31st century.

• Generican Empire : Their government, known simply as "the Hierarchy".
• High Collar of Doom : Hard to feel intimidated by a potato in a gym sock.
• Meaningful Name : Their government, the Hierarchy, is one of the most regimented societies seen in the Star Trek universe outside of the Borg.
• Pragmatic Villainy : The Hierarchy weighs everything in terms of risk vs. reward.
• Stealth in Space : Seem to be one of the only races in the entire Delta Quadrant with cloaking technology. Even then, it just takes some sensor remodulation to spot them, so obviously theirs isn't as advanced as the Klingons' or Romulans'.
• Vast Bureaucracy : The social structure of the Hierarchy is regimented in such a way in that each crew member has a single work station and duty to perform, minimal social interaction, and limited access to the rest of the ship.
• All Just a Dream : Tried to fool Sisko into thinking his life on Deep Space 9 was just in his imagination.
• Always Chaotic Evil : Of course, being demons, they're pretty much evil by default. Then again , they may simply be more like an evil faction than an evil race, as they are presumably the same species as the Prophets, just their equivalent of dangerous extremists.
• Color-Coded for Your Convenience : The Prophets are blue colored, but these guys are orange.
• Crystal Dragon Jesus : Crystal Dragon Demons, although, unlike most examples, they show no signs of being Stupid Evil .
• Demonic Possession : A favored tactic of theirs when they want to take a direct hand in things. One of them possessed Keiko O'Brien during an archeological dig near the Fire Caves; this Pah-Wraith came close to zapping the wormhole with a concentrated chroniton beam, which would have supposedly killed off the Prophets for good.
• Diabolus ex Nihilo : The Pah-Wraiths are first brought up in Season Five of DS9 , but only appear in about five episodes total.
• Evil Counterpart : To the Prophets. Unlike them, the Pah-Wraiths really dislike Planet Bajor and—should they escape—will gladly reduce it to a cinder on Day 1.
• Evil Is Not a Toy : Downplayed, but when the Dominion sought their help in Tears of the Prophets , the Pah Wraiths just did what they wanted instead of letting Gamma Quadrant re-enforcements through the wormhole, and likely didn't care that it angered Weyoun. note  It's later Implied that cutting Bajor off from the Prophet did indeed benefit the Dominion, but the show wasn't so subtle about the fact that the Pah Wraiths didn't care whether it did or not.
• Fire and Brimstone Hell : Their home in the Bajoran Fire Caves is this, although its extra-dimensional nature means it's not normally visible to mortals, and can't normally interact with any that haven't died. note  The one from The Assignment somehow escaped in spite of this, though.
• Greater-Scope Villain : Of DS9 as a whole. They are the single most dangerous recurring enemy on the show and even the Dominion absolutely pale in comparison in terms of both threat level and influence, as they potentially threaten the entire universe and are behind numerous events on the station. The Prophets, who can casually destroy an entire Dominion fleet with little trouble, regard the Pah-Wraiths as the real enemy to be feared, and sure enough it's the Pah-Wraith who turn out to be the True Final Boss of the show through their new agent Dukat.
• Hell Invades Heaven : Tried this in Tears of the Prophets with Dukat's help. It eventually failed and got them cast back out, although we never see the actual battle.
• Hell on Earth : Dukat stated that if the Pah-Wraiths got their way and re-entered the wormhole, the entire universe would go up "in flames," whatever that meant.
• I Have Many Names : "Kosst Amojan," a Bajoran saying which translates to, "to be banished."
• Omnicidal Maniac : If Dukat is to be believed, their ultimate goal is to burn down the entire universe.
• Then there's the fact that the Pah Wraith in The Reckoning chose Jake Sisko as its host, specifically because it understood corporeal relationships and who Jake was related to.
• Whatever special attributes being the Prophet's Emissary, and being "half-Prophet" himself, bestow upon Sisko are vague and metaphysical at best. Meanwhile, the Pah-Wraiths gave their Emissary cool telekinetic and pyrokinetic super powers.
• Red Eyes, Take Warning : Seems to happen by default when they posses someone (the possessed person's eyes go red), although The Assignment confirms that they can suppress it when necessary.
• Revenge : Their primary motive seems to be to destroy the Prophets as revenge for casting them out of the Celestial Temple. Afterwards, according to Dukat, they'll destroy the universe For the Evulz .
• Sealed Evil in a Can : Rather, sealed evil in some caves, as well as a small ornamental statue.
• Sufficiently Advanced Aliens : Like the Prophets, the Pah-Wraith are non-corporeal entities with a non-linear existence in time and space, and are powerful enough to be compared to literal gods and demons. While the Founder pose as evil deities, the Pah-Wraith are much closer to the genuine article.
• Villains Blend in Better : Unlike the Prophets, who clearly don't have the best grasp on corporeal matters, and come across as off-putting on their best days, the Pah-Wraiths are much more... well, "human," for want of a better word. The one possessing Keiko O'Brien does a horrifically good impression of her that at first Miles thinks it's just kidding when it explains what's going on, and no-one else suspects a thing is up.

• Attention Deficit... Ooh, Shiny! : Star Trek: Lower Decks uses this as a way to explain the Pakleds tendency to flip-flop between being a threat and a joke, by implying that they can be genuinely competent at a task if they put their minds to it. Unfortunately for them, they also have a hard time actually focusing on the same task for too long at a time and can change their mind about what's currently important at a moment's notice.
• Battle Cry : Tend to yell one when physically attacking people. It is, of course, "Pakled!"
• Buffy Speak : Are notoriously inarticulate (like they mentioned looking for "things to make [them] go".)
• City of Gold : Their capital city plays this completely straight, being apparently made out of solid gold purely for show.
• Crazy Cultural Comparison : Unlike other Alpha Quadrant species, these guys have taken cues from Dark Helmet , in that large headwear is a representation of status and power in society.
• Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass : A species-wide example. Apart from being able to steal from Romulans (see Obfuscating Stupidity below), they prove themselves to be dangerous enemies to the Federation as of Star Trek: Lower Decks , despite their slow wits.
• Didn't See That Coming : The Federation was taken completely by surprise because a race that they once wrote off as a joke managed to become a legitimate threat capable of taking down their smaller vessels, and have spread throughout the quadrant.
• Dumb Muscle : What they lack in smarts, they often make up for in sheer overwhelming force .
• Earth-Shattering Kaboom : Their homeworld is destroyed by a Varuvian bomb in the Lower Decks season 2 finale, supposedly planted by "Klingon extremists", but actually by Pakleds doing it themselves, on purpose , apparently they thought they could trick the federation into helping them gain a new resource rich homeworld, while simultaneously besmirching the federation and the Klingon Empire as a bonus. The planet itself remains mostly intact, but with a huge chunk blown out of its crust (leaving the molten core exposed to space) and no life remaining on the surface.
• Fat Bastard : Every Pakled seen so far has been depicted as noticeably overweight, and none have been depicted in a positive light. Lower Decks slims them down somewhat to make them more of a physical threat, but they still have a noticeable gut.
• Foreign Queasine : They prefer mushfruit, a sort of white mush, which they eat with their bare hands.
• Hat of Authority : Leadership in their society is determined by whoever is wearing the largest hat.
• Let's Get Dangerous! : A villainous example. Turns out that mentally dim but physically strong individuals capable of quickly adapting new technology for their own ends can become a rather intimidating threat if left ignored.
• Logical Weakness : The Pakleds' ships being hodgepodges of different starships means that various different software systems have to be interacting with one another with virtually no filtering or firewall. This makes their systems extremely vulnerable to computer viruses.
• Low Culture, High Tech : They lag far behind the other spacefaring races of the galaxy, to the point that it's not even clear if they're properly warp-capable. They try to make up for this by stealing technology from other races, even though they don't know how to properly operate or maintain it.
• Made of Iron : Can survive being ejected into space in a coma-like state and can revive themselves when placed in a more favorable environment.
• Might Makes Right : Expressed in their simple but direct way, they believe if they can take something it belongs to them.
• Not-So-Harmless Villain : From the Lower Decks season one finale onwards, they prove themselves to be a formidable threat to the Federation, in spite of their low intelligence.
• Obfuscating Stupidity : A prime example. While they truly aren't particularly intelligent, they do possess quite a bit of low cunning and seem to be fully aware of how benign and unintelligent they appear to other species, and they take full advantage of it. Their managing to snatch some tech from the Romulans should be a clear indicator that they're far more intelligent than they let on.
• Rubber-Forehead Aliens : They have noticeable folds under their eyes and heavy brows, complete with tufted eyebrows that angle upward towards their foreheads .
• The Pakled homeworld is simply called "Pakled Planet".
• Pakled starships are called "clumpships", and the one given a name is simply called Pakled .
• Smarter Than You Look : While they may be spectacularly unintelligent for a spacefaring race, their ability to adapt stolen technology into their vessels would require at least some technical skill, even if their use of it is far below standard.
• Space Jews : They bear a strong (and hopefully unintentional) resemblance, in both appearance and mannerisms, to people with Downs syndrome. Lower Decks would eventually steer them from this trope to being their own species, much like DS9 did with the Ferengi.
• Space Pirates : They have a reputation for faking distress calls so they can raid other ships for their technology.
• Stronger Than They Look : They're able to use an industrial saw as a ramming device... successfully .
• Swiss-Cheese Security : Because Pakled ships are a mishmash of technologies stolen from other races, their code base has to be largely unprotected in order for everything to work together properly. This makes them very vulnerable to computer viruses and hacking attacks.
• Took a Level in Badass : In their debut episode, "Samaritan Snare", they were mostly a joke who only got the upper hand because Riker picked up the Idiot Ball in dealing with them. Fifteen years later, in Lower Decks , they've managed to steal and adapt enough technology to create mismatched warships that can pose a threat to smaller Starfleet vessels in a straight fight, and are willing to engage in melee combat to seize other vessels.
• Took a Level in Dumbass : At the same time, the Lower Decks Pakleds are somehow even stupider than in their first appearance ( appropriately for a comedy ). Whereas the first Pakleds were stupid mostly by virtue of their limited vocabulary, their species at large also demonstrates a tenuous perception of reality, frequently misidentifying people and objects even after being corrected multiple times. The Pakleds from TNG may have actually been ahead of the curve for their species.
• You No Take Candle : Downplayed . Their sentences are grammatically correct, but their vocabulary is very limited and basic.
• Alien Non-Interference Clause : The Prophets deem themselves above our trivial corporeal matters, but will swing into action if Bajor itself is in danger.
• Although Kai Winn was clearly not the saint she saw herself as, she might not have turned to the Pah Wraiths had they at least spoken to her , given that she resisted her own turn to darkness and later tried to redeem herself when it was almost too late.
• Blue-and-Orange Morality : Because they're so different from corporeal beings, they have little concept of what humans and Bajorans think is okay.
• Catchphrase : "...Aggressive... adversarial..." Often said in response to Sisko or another corporeal being acting a bit too assertive towards them for their liking.
• Cryptic Conversation : Try having a crisis management session with somebody who doesn't know what day it is . It would drive you nuts.
• Or rather, Crystal Dragon Angels. A Prophet possessed the body of an Earth woman, Sarah, in order to impregnate her with a half-human, half-Prophet son.
• The Pah Wraith stuff is a much more generic way of handling the show's religious themes than the first five or so seasons. The idea of the Prophets as existing beyond mortality and corporeality in a way that makes them terrifying and awe-inspiring. Turning them into “the good guys” in some eternal struggle changes them (and the show) into a Judeo-Christian archetype.
• A Form You Are Comfortable With : They communicate by taking the appearance of one's friends, acquaintances, and even enemies in visions. For instance, the "inquisitive" Prophets appeared as Sisko's pre-teen son, Jake; the "empathic" ones look like Opaka and Kira; the "authoritative" guys are Odo and Weyoun; the "hostile" ones are Locutus (the only Borg whom Sisko has personal experience with) and Dukat.
• To give an example, when Sisko is starting to get itchy feet regarding this Space Moses business, the Prophets send back through a wormhole a long-dead Bajoran poet who claimed to be the original (and thus, standing) Emissary. With the help of Kai Winn, he promptly re-institutes theocratic law on Bajor as it existed before the occupation, along with the caste system. Lesson duly noted, Sisko puts a stop to the pretender (by no means a bad man, just one whose ideas were 300 years out of date) and hauls him before the Prophets, who restore him to his own time. The Prophets also remind Sisko that he can't shirk his duties as the Emissary, or Winn will completely take over. Too bad it took at least one death for Sisko to get the memo. That man was Imutta, a cleric who suddenly found himself one of Bajor's untouchables.
• Gondor Calls for Aid : In "Sacrifice of Angels", Sisko flies the Defiant into the wormhole to intercept a Jem'Hadar fleet en route to the Alpha Quadrant. As he predicted, the Prophets intervene because they can't let the Emissary—Sisko himself—die just yet. He convinces them to destroy the fleet within the wormhole, apparently the only offensive measure the Prophets have (outside of possessing Kira's body in "The Reckoning", which didn't do much good). The Prophets warn that this is a one-time deal, however; from now on, Starfleet is on its own.
• Have You Seen My God? : A number of Bajorans turn to the Pah-Wraiths after the brutality of the Occupation and the Dominion War, feeling that their gods don't care. Then again, if the Prophets exist in the future as well as the present then they must have foreseen that the Bajorans would eventually drive out the Cardassians without revealing the wormhole's existence to feuding alien races.
• Hyperspace Is a Scary Place : The Bajoran wormhole is their domain, and they can alter reality within it at their whim. Thankfully, after first contact between them and Sisko, they decide to let ships travel through the wormhole without incident. Nonetheless, they prefer to be left alone: when Grand Nagus Zek tried to use them to see the future, they retaliated by brainwashing him and turning him into a paragon of philanthropy (practically the Ferengi's personal Anti-Christ). And that's to say nothing of when they made a Jem'Hadar fleet of 2,800 ships disappear without a trace...
• Kryptonite Factor : Chroniton particles. Not only can't the Prophets perceive linear time, they are allergic to it. This also makes it a potent weapon against the Pah-Wraiths. Oddly, the Orb of Time, which they created, emits Chroniton particles when activated, which usually happens quite a safe distance from the wormhole.
• Living MacGuffin : Without the Prophets and Pah-Wraiths, there would be very little reason not to collapse the wormhole with photon torpedoes and prevent the Dominion from even invading. Sisko was willing to do just that in "The Search", but only if there were no other options left. The Klingons and Romulans were thinking along the same lines in "Visionary".
• Made of Phlebotinum : They exist as something but it's damned near incomprehensible to corporeal forms. Whatever it is prevents the wormhole from collapsing and shifting about the galaxy as others do.
• Mysterious Watcher : The Prophets decide if and when you can have an audience with them. They claim to always be watching.
• Non-Linear Character : They don't even understand what "linear" IS until Sisko explains it to them.
• It's how they treat the whole Sisko family. They possess Sarah and force her to have a child with Joseph Sisko, because they know that Ben will be their Emissary. Given that Sarah ran to Australia without a word as soon as she was freed, this was not consensual, and losing a wife he thought loved him didn't do any favors for Joseph either.
• Portal Door : The Celestial Temple rests in an abstract dimension connected by two entrances that allow it to serve as a wormhole.
• Starfish Aliens : The Prophets are extremely non-corporeal, possessing no physical body and existing in all points of time simultaneously.
• Sufficiently Advanced Aliens : Their Celestial Temple is the Bajoran " Heaven ," albeit one with high-volume space traffic.
• Suspiciously Similar Substitute : Similar to the Q Continuum but not quite as all-powerful or omniscient, especially when it comes to corporeal matters. The Prophets don't even know the meaning of humor, let alone the human concepts of love, grief, or even the passage of time. The novels at least indicate their power level in the higher dimensions is at least comparable to that of the Qs.
• Time Dissonance : Because they don't exist in the normal flow of time, when Sisko first encounters the Prophets, they are completely perplexed by the idea of linear time. The concept that a corporeal lifeform cannot travel back in time to change events that have transpired, nor perceive the future until it has come and gone, is completely alien to them.
• Since they first learned about linear existence from Sisko, this implies that their impact on Bajoran culture and ensuring Sisko was born, may have been a direct result of this "future" meeting.
• Vagueness Is Coming : They never get the hint that being cryptic is keeping people from fully carrying out their orders. The Pah Wraiths are much better at forming coherent sentences, logically because they exist in a physical location in the known universe (the Fire Caves) and are more attuned to linear time than the Prophets.
• Verbal Tic : They refer to corporeal beings by their names prefaced with "The" ("The Sisko," for example). After Sisko uses baseball as a metaphor for linear time, they also begin to refer to the linear flow of time, as well as Sisko's life, as "the game."
• Alien Animals : They look just like Earth bats.

• Ascend to a Higher Plane of Existence : Q hinted early on that his species were once not unlike bipeds. This was later confirmed by Quinn, who (unlike Q) had no reason to lie. Picard speculates that Q might be testing humanity because he thinks we have the potential to one day evolve into beings like the Q, and he is afraid that we might turn out wrong.
• "Ass" in Ambassador / Mouth of Sauron : Q interests regarding the human race are normally handled by a single representative. This Q has a history of insulting, tormenting, taunting, and otherwise harassing races all over the galaxy.
• Badass Fingersnap : If a Q snaps their fingers then everybody else has good reason to be terrified! It not only means that they are using their godlike powers, but they want to be dramatic about it!
• Brought Down to Normal : A common punishment for if a Q breaks the law is to spend the rest of their lives as a mortal being. One Q in particular was temporarily turned human as punishment for making the Borg aware of the Federation.
• Creative Sterility : The Q have experienced literally everything. Leaving them stagnant and bored. It is suggested that the Q who pestered the Enterprise did so and caused trouble across the universe just to shake things up.
• Damned by Faint Praise : Probably the nicest thing anyone's said about the Q is Guinan's comment that some of the Q are almost respectable. Janeway also notes that TNG-Q has done many questionable things, but he's never actually lied to anyone in any of his documented encounters with the Enterprise or Deep Space Nine crew.
• Even Evil Has Standards : While not explicitly evil, the Q do feel they have the right to judge whether or not an entire race has the right to live or die. However, they do not condone abusing their power to torment entire races simply for fun, something which got the main Q stripped of his powers and made mortal. Even when Q got his powers back it was implied that if he went back to his old ways, the same punishment would be inflicted on him again.
• A Form You Are Comfortable With : Whenever a Q communicates with mortals, they always appear to take the form of another human. When the continuum is shown to the crew of the Voyager in the episode "Death Wish", it is presented as a desert waystation on a road that could lead to anywhere in the universe. The other Q live in the waystation, sitting around and doing nothing in particular, since they had already done everything, seen everything, and learned everything. Later, in "The Q and the Grey", the continuum is transformed into a Civil War-era battlefield, with members of the Q appearing as both Union and Confederate soldiers.
• God of Order : Not quite, but the Q are gods in all but name and consider themselves forces of order who serve as Space Police , at least when some of them aren't Great Gazoos .
• Q society and their physiognomy is mystery. Picard was offered the chance to study one; he decided that the experience would probably drive him 'round the bend and flatly turned it down.
• Q sent Voyager to witness the birth of the universe ('you could be the origin of the humanoid form!'), and when they didn't take him up on his offer, he shrank the ship and hanged it on a Christmas tree.
• Humanity on Trial : Part of the reason they tend to interfere with humans. When Q first appeared, he took on the appearance of Ollie North (referencing the Iran-Contra arms deals) and a drug-infused space trooper from the future. Earth's been warlike for most of its existence, and it could fall back into old habits very easily.
• Immortal Immaturity : A trait TNG's Q is infamous for, although his straight-laced friend, Q2 , had a surfer bum quality of his own. Even Quinn, easily the nicest Q we see, still does petty things like barge into people's chambers without knocking or accidentally wipe out half the crew of a starship and not apologize. Tuvok: I am curious. Have the Q always had an absence of manners, or is it the result of some natural evolutionary process that comes with omnipotence? Quinn: I suppose at some point we stopped thinking about the little niceties.
• Immortals Fear Death : Most of the Continuum find mortality terrifying, and they imprisoned Quinn rather than let him go through with his suicide.
• Starfleet officers are instructed to go to Red Alert if they detect the arrival of any Q (although due to the "gods" part, this is a pretty useless measure — if the Q in question was truly hostile, there is absolutely nothing any ship could do to stop them ).
• Whenever they assume human form, they always make a point to wear the highest-ranking uniform in the room . Q even cycled through an Admiral's and Marshall's clothes, just to irritate Picard (a Captain, albeit one of a flagship).
• From knowledge gained in her extensive travels and long life, Guinan points out that most of the Q are actually responsible and benign beings who mind their own business, and find it immoral to interfere in the lower planes of existence, much as the Enterprise will not interfere with primitive hunter-gatherer aliens. The Q who visits the Enterprise -D is just a jerkass even by their standards (to the point that once they even briefly stripped him of his powers because he kept using them irresponsibly). If the Q are Aesir, the Q who pesters humanity is their Loki — a trickster who stirs up trouble (although he gets more well-intentioned as he goes along).
• According to second-hand sources, Q was inspired by Trelane, a childlike-yet-omnipotent trickster from TOS who shared Q's taste for medals and epaulettes.
• Some fanon and even licensed (but non-canon) works have retconned Trelane into being a member of the continuum, if an immature one.
• Mortality Ensues : "Our" Q is shown to be dying in Star Trek: Picard . It's not explained at all, really, but seems to be from age or natural causes. And then he dies. And then at the end of the series he comes back anyway, and waves off Jack's mention of his death as it all being beyond human comprehension or something.
• Multiple-Choice Past : The very, very few hints we get about the Q's origin are very contradictory. Quinn claims that the Q weren't always omnipotent, were formerly humanoid, and evolved into their current state over eons. Q, in a later episode, claims that the Q Continuum never evolved or "came" into existence, but were just always there.
• Q is a lower version of this; while he claims omnipotence, other Q can still hurt him or take away his powers.
• Quinn claims to Tuvok that despite Q's bluster, the Q are not actually omnipotent, despite seeming so by every possible frame of reference to human comprehension. They can make entire galaxies explode with a thought, or with a snap of their fingers turn the entire Borg Collective into cute puppies. But Quinn insists that up in the higher planes of existence in the Q continuum, there are still things they can't do, although such things are beyond our comprehension or description. He is much more modest about his race than Q is.
• Planet of Steves : Nearly every member is named "Q" or has a Q in their name somewhere. In fact, all Q address other Q simply as "Q," and every other Q knows who that Q is talking to without elaboration.
• Reality Warper : Big time. Even the babies are capable of altering the orbits of entire planets just days after birth.
• Smug Super : As Lady Q informs B'Elanna during a snark-off, the Q attitude about themselves isn't a God Complex, it's a fact . They are that powerful (although it is worth noting Lady Q's pretty smug even by their standards).
• Space Police : They're god-like beings who can easily wipe out entire galaxies out of boredom, but they do have the universe's best interest in mind.
• Sufficiently Advanced Aliens : Rumors persist in some Trekkie circles that the Q are not as powerful as they say; it's all just smoke and mirrors.
• Teleportation : They often appear out of nowhere.
• Unusually Uninteresting Sight : During their first encounter with Q, the Enterprise-D crew acknowledged he was potentially dangerous, but failed to find him at all awe-inspiring. Picard outright implies that the Federation had already become accustomed to dealing with pushy, god-like energy beings (which, if Captain Kirk's career is anything to go by, is quite true).
• Quinn sought to kill himself rather than be stuck with these people for one more second. The Q do not even acknowledge each other, having exhausted all conversation over the eons. Horrifying.
• The renegade Q seemed to really enjoy life, and opposed Quinn's courtroom battle to end his existence. Quinn tries to make Janeway understand in her own terms by suggesting she think about what her life as an explorer would be like if there was nothing left to explore. Q tries to bribe Janeway with the chance to spend her life with him (just like Vash), which can be interpreted as a desperate need to be able to see the universe through the eyes of a humanoid. It demonstrates exactly what Quinn was saying: that there is nothing left to explore and the only alternative Q can think of is to see it afresh through a mortal's eyes.
• World of Silence : A consequence of their Creative Sterility . In Quinn's words: "It's all been said. Everyone has seen everything, heard everything. They haven't had to speak to each other for ten millennia. There's nothing left to say."
• You Cannot Grasp the True Form : A non-malevolent variation. Mortals can't perceive the Q in their natural appearance, to say nothing of the realm they inhabit.

• Cadre of Foreign Bodyguards : Well, elite slave bodyguards: when the Romulans were introduced in Enterprise Season 4 - after Nemesis came out - the production team dusted off some of the leftover Reman costumes to give them a cameo, because logically they should have been around (see "Remember the New Guy"). A powerful Romulan senator appears with Reman bodyguards hovering behind him to intimidate his subordinates.
• Earth-Shattering Kaboom : While not explicitly stated, it's implied that the supernova that destroyed Romulus also wiped out Remus.
• Looks Like Orlok : Their appearance was directly inspired by the Trope Namer , Nosferatu , although the Remans look more bat-like.
• Mind Rape : At least some Remans are telepathic, which Shinzon's viceroy uses to physically assault Deanna Troi in Nemesis .
• Mooks : Seem to serve as these to high-ranking Romulans, with the implication in Enterprise that if a Romulan screws up sufficiently, he's handed over to the Remans.
• Named After Their Planet : The planet Remus.
• Proud Warrior Race : Unlike the Romulans, who are more of a Proud Soldier Race, the Remans seem to relish combat.
• Remember the New Guy? : They supposedly saw a lot of action in the Dominion War , but weren't actually seen on-screen until Star Trek: Nemesis , set four years later.
• Slave Mooks : They do a lot of the Empire's dilithium mining, and were frequently used as Cannon Fodder during the Dominion War.
• Tidally Locked Planet : Remus is one. The Remans live on the dark side, hence their photosensitivity.

• After the End : Romulus was destroyed in 2387 after its star blew up, so the Romulan Star Empire ceased to exist after this cataclysmic event. The government which then emerged among the survivors is called the Romulan Free State, but it's nowhere near as powerful as its predecessor once was.
• Alien Blood : Their blood is green because it's copper-based.
• Amazon Brigade : The Qowat Milat is a very ancient order of Romulan warrior nuns, reputed to be among the best single-combat fighters in the galaxy.
• Ancient Conspiracy : The Zhat Vash is a secret society which predates the Tal Shiar that has been pulling the strings behind the scenes for most of Romulan history.
• Surprisingly, given some of the below tropes, many Romulan antagonists have sympathetic motivations, backstories, or otherwise admirable traits.
• The Zhat Vash is even more immoral, deceitful and ruthless than the Tal Shiar, but its mission is to prevent Ganmadan ("the Day of Annihilation"), which is the destruction of all life in the galaxy. Those who serve this shady organization believe that sentient androids will be the root cause of this mass extinction, so their operatives will do anything (including sacrificing their own lives) to eliminate all Artificial Intelligence that they deem to be dangerous.
• Archaic Weapon for an Advanced Age : They have retained an ancient tradition of using swords in a duel, like Nero and his men, and it's not unusual to see a Romulan carry a sword in public, such as North Station on Vashti. A tan qalanq, which is an Absurdly Sharp Blade , is the main weapon of the Qowat Milat.
• Arch-Enemy : To the Federation, and vice versa. It was the Earth-Romulan War (and a series of attempted False Flag Operations that preceded it) in the 2150s that pursuaded the Humans, Vulcans, Andorians, and Tellarites to bury the hatchet and form a powerful alliance to halt Romulan expansion into the Alpha Quadrant. The Romulans, still holding a grudge centuries later, are determined to find a way to break the alliance apart so they can take over the quadrant and ensure Romulan supremacy for the indefinite future.
• Balkanize Me : The Romulan Star Empire collapsed after their homeworld was destroyed by a supernova, so that by the time of Picard , their badly weakened successor is the Romulan Free State. According to invoked Word of God , the former territory of the Romulan Star Empire fragmented into several successor states. The Romulan Free State is by far the largest and most powerful of these, particularly because it's the successor state that the Tal Shiar decided to support. This is loosely similar to what happened in Star Trek Online , in which the Romulan Star Empire also balkanized into more than one successor state after their homeworld was destroyed in a supernova.
• Ban on A.I. : Unlike most races, the Romulans make no use whatsoever of Artificial Intelligence . Even their computers are purely numerical machines. The reason behind this is a Driving Question in Star Trek: Picard .
• Beast of the Apocalypse : In Romulan mythology, Ganmadan is a great pale hellbeast whose name means "the Day of Annihilation."
• On TNG . Not as powerful as the Borg, not as slippery as the Cardassians, but more recurring than either and are behind half the evil schemes in that series.
• They arguably became this again on Enterprise , until a planned arc involving the Federation-Romulan War was Cut Short .
• The Romulans (more specifically the Zhat Vash and the Tal Shiar) are also the main villains in Season 1 of Picard .
• In Picard , Romulus is gone, but the Tal Shiar is still active. It routinely monitors all incoming and outgoing transmissions on any Romulan facility, including the Romulan Reclamation Site. The movements of everyone on the Artifact are also tracked, social interactions are observed, and the Zhal Makh meditation chamber is under surveillance.
• Bizarre Alien Biology : On the surface, they still look almost identical to their Vulcan ancestors, and they're able to have interbreed (though admittedly that's not uncommon in Star Trek ). Inwardly, a few thousand years of separation mean there's just enough difference to make medical transplants impossible. The modern Romulan is actually more biologically compatible with a Klingon than a Vulcan.
• Blue-and-Orange Morality : What the Tal Shiar views as honourable behaviour is very different from ours. Rios : They are treacherous, violent, ruthless and subtle. Their concept of honour is rooted in their skill at deceit.
• Catchphrase : A common Romulan salutation is "Jolan Tru." It's used as both "Hello" and "Goodbye," but the literal translation is unknown.
• Character Focus : Star Trek: Picard features not just one but two Romulan characters as part of its main cast, Narek and Elnor. This series is the first in the franchise to delve fairly deeply into Romulan culture, and we're introduced to many new elements such as the Zhat Vash, Romulan mythology, the Qowat Milat, qalankhkai, tan qalanq, shaipouin, pixmit, tan zhekran, Zhal Makh, etc.
• Chronic Backstabbing Disorder : The Romulans consider everything within their field of vision to be rightfully theirs. Accordingly, it goes against their character to honor any truce or treaty, even when the betrayal is utterly stupid (pissing off the Federation and Bajor during a war for their very survival, for example). Their tendency to betray people is frequently lampshaded , such as Weyoun's quote above.
• Contemplation Location : The Zhal Makh meditation chamber is a sealed room with a winding path painted on the wooden floor, and around it are lanterns. The participant is expected to walk barefoot along the path which represents the "journey into the center of the mind's most intimate space, where deepest truths are hidden."
• Cool Sword : The tan qalanq (the iconic weapon of the Qowat Milat ) is a straight, single-edged Absurdly Sharp Blade which happens to be evocative of some East Asian swords . Both the hilt and scabbard are wooden, so the tan qalanq's understated beauty mirrors the sisterhood's graceful Fantastic Fighting Style . When it's brandished by a Qowat Milat , this Romulan sword is as elegant as it is deadly, as a lone warrior nun can vanquish multiple foes armed with energy weapons and behead a person with one smooth stroke .
• Covert Group : The existence of the Zhat Vash is kept secret not just from the general public, but the Tal Shiar as well. Zhaban, who was once a member of the Romulan Secret Police , dismisses the ancient cabal as just a myth to frighten new recruits. However, the Zhat Vash is indeed real, and this shadowy group is The Unfettered to an even greater degree than the Tal Shiar.
• Create Your Own Hero : Ironically, the Romulans' attempt to destabilize the Alpha Quadrant through a series of False Flag Operations instead drove the Humans, Vulcans, Andorians, and Tellarites to form The Federation to form a unified front against them. Multiple episodes have established that, without the Federation to oppose them, the Romulans would have taken over the whole Alpha Quadrant by the end of the 23rd century.
• Cultural Rebel : The Qowat Milat warrior nuns follow the doctrine of the Way of Absolute Candor, which runs entirely counter to everything that the secretive Romulans hold dear. Naturally, they are the enemies of the Tal Shiar, who fears them.
• Culture Police : Unlike the Klingons, who were depicted as "strong & silent" types before being retooled into Boisterous Bruisers , the Romulans went in the opposite direction. On TNG , the Romulans became much more rigid in style and demeanor, echoing Communist China upon which the new Romulans were based. This goes for the females, too. (No more long-legged femme fatales , like the ones we saw in TOS and Star Trek V: The Final Frontier . note  However, Narissa in Picard is a sexy Romulan woman, but this is after the Romulan Star Empire collapsed, so presumably the survivors have a bit more freedom in how they dress. ) The Tal Shiar is everywhere, and everyone dresses inconspicuously on Romulus to avoid attracting their attention. They are the modest utilitarians to Cardassia's Gucci-wearing aesthetes. Garak : (grimly reminiscing) Ah, yes, Romulus. How well I remember it. You'll find the predominant color to be grey: The buildings, the clothes, the people. Did you know that the Romulan heart itself is grey? It's true. And altogether appropriate for such an unimaginative race.
• Decadent Court : All indications are that Romulan politics is extremely and possibly very literally cut-throat. Make the wrong move, piss off the wrong person, and it becomes easy to "disappear". Possibly into a Reman's stomach.
• Destroyer Deity : In Romulan mythology, the female twin khalagu ("demons") that bring about Ganmadan (" the Day of Annihilation ") are Seb-Natan ("the Foreteller") and Seb-Cheneb ("the Destroyer").
• Double Standard : Although it's perfectly acceptable for Romulan women to do anything their male counterparts can do, a Romulan man who has what is regarded to be a feminine occupation is subjected to Gendered Insults . Elnor, who was raised by the all-female Qowat Milat sect and follows their traditions, is taunted by the townspeople as a "sisterboy."
• The Dreaded : The Earth-Romulan War was so hard on the Federation founders that, even centuries later, the Federation is still terrified of going at war with them again, with only the Borg surpassing them.
• Duel to the Death : This is an ancient Romulan custom which is still practiced on the cusp of the 25th century as a nod to their roots as a Proud Warrior Race . In Picard , Tenqem challenges the eponymous character to a Sword Fight with the intent of killing him, and it's a long-standing tradition for a Zhat Vash and a Qowat Milat to fight each other to the death in unarmed combat.
• Earth-Shattering Kaboom : Romulus was destroyed in 2387 when its sun went supernova . Although Ambassador Spock attempted to prevent the supernova from striking the planet using red matter, he was ultimately unsuccessful and Romulus was blown to bits.
• Enemy Mine : With an alliance with the Cardassians, and a neutrality agreement with the Romulans, the Dominion had the Federation on the ropes. Captain Sisko realized they couldn't fight the war without help, and needed to convince the Romulans that their truce with the Founders would not last. To that end, he cooperated in assassinating a Romulan Senator and pinning it on the Dominion. And it worked! How very Romulan . Garak: And the more the Dominion denies their guilt, the more the Romulans will believe they're guilty, because that's exactly what they would have done in their place!
• Romulans also have gotten rid of the very unsavory side of their Vulcan heritage. They don't experience the Pon Farr and as such no longer partake in Vulcan rituals where a woman could have a man challenge her fiancé to a duel to the death and end up with a man she's forcefully married to and have sex with.
• This high level of gender equality is maintained even after they lose their homeworld. Their women continue to work alongside the men in all sorts of occupations (e.g. at the Romulan Reclamation Site, the head surgeon is a Romulan woman and there are Romulan females on the security team). However, Picard introduces a Double Standard where Romulan men who are judged to be effeminate are made fun of .
• Establishing Character Moment : " Balance of Terror " shows everything one needs to know about the Romulans: they're Vulcans who did not reject their warlike past, so devious their ships are invisible when it's supposed to be impossible, the Federation didn't know their faces until they chanced over a century after they fought a war with them, still honorable in their own way, and extremely dangerous when they actually bother to fight.
• Evil Counterpart Race : To the Vulcans, their ancestors. Because both species are Space Elves , the Romulans and the Vulcans are the Trek Verse equivalent of Dark Elves and High Elves, respectively.
• Evil Eyebrows : Theirs are accentuated by a distinct, "V"-shaped forehead ridge. In the films, the ridges are completely gone, but the eyebrows are still longer and hairier than the Vulcans. Picard establishes that Romulans with ridges are Northerners.
• Evil Is Bigger : In the 24th century, their warbirds are considerably larger than the Federation's flagship Galaxy -class starships or the Klingons' battleships, though partly as a result of huge negative spaces in the hull. A D'deridex -class warbird has a volumetric coefficient less than half that of the Galaxy-class and slightly less than the much flatter Klingon Vor'cha -class battlecruiser. However, the sheer size of the warbird ( the DS9 Technical Manual gives a length of 1,041.65 meters and other sources give even larger) gives it twice the volume of the 643-meter Galaxy -class and close to ten times the volume of the 481-meter Vor'cha .
• Evil Virtues : Picard makes it clear the same Romulan embrace of emotions makes them also prone to compassionate moments and sincerely caring about those close to them. As a result, many of them are Worthy Opponents and they are genuinely concerned about keeping their workplace safe.
• The Faceless : Romulans were aware of Humanity for some time before Earth knew of them. Infiltrating the highest levels of the Vulcan High Command, the Romulans got a full scope of Earth's capabilities. The Enterprise NX-01 inadvertently encountered a Romulan minefield at one point, officially the first time Humanity became aware of the Romulans. Even after fighting the Earth-Romulan War, it wasn't until the 23rd century that Humans actually saw the Romulans without their helmets on. ( ENT : "Minefield"; TOS : "Balance of Terror")
• Although the hand-to-hand combat practiced by the Qowat Milat sisterhood hasn't been named onscreen in Picard , it's nevertheless the first time in the franchise that a specific Romulan martial arts is showcased. It's more "fantastic" than that of the Klingons or the Vulcans because the Romulan warrior nuns develop Super-Reflexes during their training that are fast enough dodge multiple energy weapons fire note  which is a very rare ability in the Trek Verse because it was only exhibited beforehand by Soong-type androids and Augments . This Amazon Brigade is remarkably adept at wielding a tan qalanq while also utilizing Combat Parkour , Hit-and-Run Tactics and stealth to single-handedly defeat several opponents.
• Fantastic Race Weapon Affinity : Romulans use "disruptors", which are a kind of Ray Gun like the phaser, but unlike phasers they always kill and their blast is green.
• The Romulans believe themselves superior to everyone, and still cling to the idea that one day, the Romulan Empire will rule the entire galaxy. ( TNG : "The Neutral Zone", "Data's Day", "The Enemy") According to Miles O'Brien, there was no piece of technology that the Romulans didn't claim they invented before everyone else.
• Picard reveals they have a deep fear of sentient AI, and helped pressure the Federation into the synth ban even after the destruction of their homeworld. Moreover, the series also shows that some Romulan-owned businesses on Vashti feature "Romulans Only" signs, and the planet is the hotbed for the Romulan Rebirth movement. The Zhal Makh, a form of Romulan meditation, is taboo to non-Romulans. The Romulan pejorative for humans is "round-ears" and the Romulan slur for xBs is "half-meat."
• Fashionable Asymmetry : In their TOS appearances, the male Romulans wore gold tunics with a sash over their shoulder. (Violet sashes for commanders, blue for the worker bees.) The ladies, however, wore form-fitting uniform with a violet sleeve.
• The loose explanation they came up with is that the capital planets of the Romulans and Klingons are in the Alpha Quadrant, but most of their empires are located in the Beta Quadrant. The dividing line between Alpha and Beta runs through Earth. Most of the Federation is in the Alpha Quadrant, but parts spill over into the Beta Quadrant. If the disk of the galaxy is viewed top-down with Earth at the bottom, the Romulans and Klingons are "east" of the Federation, while the Cardassians are "west." The Romulans are located core-wards from the Klingons (which also explains why advanced Borg scouting attacks hit both the Romulans and Federation, but not the Klingons).
• Fictional Flag : Theirs is a stylized bird-of-prey gripping two planets (Romulus and Remus) in its talons.
• Glass Cannon : The Romulans are the only major political power consistently shown to fully match the Federation's technology level — the Klingons mostly rely on brute strength, and while the Cardassians are intelligent, their ships are limited by their poor resource base. In contrast, Romulan ships are tricked out with all sorts of advanced technology (like artificial singularity power cores), not to mention they invented the cloaking device (so theirs are always better than the knockoffs they gave the Klingons). The only drawback is that their technology is a little too advanced to easily repair battle damage — while a half-crippled Federation ship's engineers can repair their own leaking warp core in a few hours with tape and a little glue. The Romulans work around this by embracing a first strike battle strategy: most of their advancements are focused on devastating weapons and refined cloaking devices, at the cost of difficult maintenance, as well as inferior engine speed. The TOS Enterprise was able to defeat a Romulan Bird-of-Prey by engaging in a drawn-out, running battle, which the latter couldn't sustain because their two advantages (cloak and extremely powerful plasma weapon) required so much power that they ate through their power reserves in no time flat.
• Heel–Face Turn : Season 3 of Star Trek: Discovery reveals that centuries after Spock's disappearance in 2387 , his efforts to reunite the Vulcans and the Romulans paid off, and the Romulans not only returned to Vulcan, but joined the Federation as well.
• Interservice Rivalry : As with the Cardassians, the regular military hates the Tal Shiar, who can pull rank on them with impunity. Some commanders are more vocal about their dislike than others.
• Lady of War : The franchise has featured several female Romulan military commanders. When presented as a Worthy Opponent , they will likely be this.
• Let No Crisis Go to Waste : The image-conscious Romulans prefer to play a waiting game with their opponents, attempting to trick them into breaking — or appearing to break — an agreement so as to give them a solid justification for striking.
• Man Behind the Man : If some villain is implied to have a secret benefactor, the benefactor will probably be the Romulans. Especially if the villain is a Vulcan or a Klingon, just to show how traitorous or gullible they are as both species regard the Romulans as long-standing enemies.
• Manipulative Bastard : They spend a lot of their screen time on Enterprise setting the Alpha Quadrant's major players against each other.
• The Qowat Milat is an all-female sect. On rare occasions, the warrior nuns may teach a man their ways (such as Elnor), but even after he completes the training, he can never be higher than The Apprentice in terms of his official position within the order.
• Although the Zhat Vash accepts men into its ranks (such as Narek), the cabal is run by women, and only women are allowed contact with the Admonition. When Oh speaks to the female initiates, she informs them that their foremothers were the first ones to visit the octonary star system, which indicates that the precursor of the Zhat Vash was also matriarchal.
• My Species Doth Protest Too Much : In contrast to the secretive nature of mainstream Romulan society, the Qowat Milat follow the Way of Absolute Candor — or, as TVTropers would call it, Brutal Honesty .
• Mythopoeia : Narek provides the most detailed account of the Ganmadan myth. note  The quote below has been edited slightly from the original dialogue. "A story of the end of everything. Some say it dates back from long before our ancestors first arrived on Vulcan. The story of Ganmadan ("the Day of Annihilation") begins with two sisters, twin khalagu ("demons") who come at the end of time to open the way and unleash the ch'khalagu ("very bad demons"). One sister is called Seb-Natan, the Foreteller. She plays a drum made from the skin of children. She strikes it with a chain of skulls so hard and so long that her heart bursts from the effort. The other sister is called Seb-Cheneb ("the Destroyer"). She carries the horn from a great pale hellbeast called Ganmadan. When she blows a blast on the horn, it will unleash all the ch'khalagu who have been waiting since the beginning of time. The sky will crack, and through the crack in the sky, the ch'khalagu will come ravening. You know about the Thousand Days of Pain. The streets will be slick with entrails of half-devoured corpses. The worlds will burn. And the ch'khalagu will feast and nurse their brats on blood, and pick their teeth with bones."
• Named After Their Planet : Their adopted homeworld, Romulus.
• National Stereotypes : Picard establishes that Romulans who are from the Northern part of Romulus are stereotyped as being stubborn.
• Star Trek has a number of Neutral Zones, each established after a never-seen war sometime during the 23rd century, but the buffer around Romulus is the most notorious and the most-fortified. In fact, almost everybody in the Trek Verse just refers to it as "the Neutral Zone," rather than by its proper name (the Romulan Neutral Zone).
• Picard establishes that the Romulan Neutral Zone collapsed after the destruction of Romulus. Without any official form of law enforcement, the whole region devolved into a Wretched Hive crawling with warlords and criminals.
• Nice Job Fixing It, Villain : The Coalition of Planets that would eventually become the Federation was formed in large part as a response to the threat of the Romulan Star Empire and its attempts to destabilize neighboring civilizations so they wouldn't become such a threat.
• Noble Bird of Prey : When Surak's reforms spread rapidly across Vulcan in the 4th century, a minority rejected Surak's ideals. Those rebels adopted a raptor as their symbol, becoming known as "those who marched beneath the raptor's wings," which became the symbol of the Romulan Star Empire. Their warships are designated "Bird-of-Prey" (not to be confused with the Klingon Bird-of-Prey from the same century) and the "Warbird" (24th century battleship). The latter sports a unique wrap-around design and stretches about twice as long as a Federation Galaxy -class, but with a lower top speed.
• No-Nonsense Nemesis : They're one of the most dangerous alien empires that the Federation has ever faced because they act like a rational, pragmatic, and ruthless real-life political power. They're not a bunch of Boisterous Bruiser , Honor Before Reason warriors like the Klingons, nor are they pretentiously obsessed with the public displays and outward trappings of totalitarian power like the Cardassians (who believe their own propaganda even though in terms of tech and resources, they're something of a paper tiger). They make it a point to only attack when their enemies are weak -- preferably after destabilizing them with covert intelligence operations — but will not hesitate to retreat when they're losing to shepherd their resources. Facing the Romulans isn't acting out the fantasy of the small, but plucky Good Guy alliance defeating the barbaric alien hordes through superior technology (Klingons), or the triumph of individualism against the horde of hive-minded alien locusts (the Borg): they're just as smart as the Federation itself. The fact that they're not a bunch of moustache-twirling comic book villains actually makes them a lot more dangerous.
• The Nose Knows : Romulans are confirmed to possess similar superior olfactory sense as Vulcans do in Picard because Narissa is able to detect Soji's scent on Narek, and after she bends down to sniff his neck, she observes that the combination of Narek's and Soji's scents is carnal.
• Obstructive Bureaucrat : In Picard , the Romulan Star Empire is no more, but its successor, the Romulan Free State, is still a bureaucratic nightmare. Naáshala : My residency was supposed to start six months ago, but the Romulan Free State revoked it when I was halfway here. I have no idea why, or why they finally reinstated it. Soji : Well, that sounds about right.
• Officer and a Gentleman : In the novels, they often come across as dignified and ultra-conservative aristocrats rather then simply as bad guys, although the Romulan commanders that appear on TV sometimes do have that aspect to them. The more "admirable" ones seem to behave this way.
• Our Demons Are Different : In Romulan mythology, there are at least two different types of demonic creatures; the twin sisters Seb-Cheneb and Seb-Natan are khalagu ("demons"), and the former can summon ch'khalagu ("very bad demons") who will ferociously devour all living beings.
• Laris mentions that calling the Tal Shiar the "Romulan Secret Police " is redundant, since the word "secret" applies to every facet of Romulan society. She also reveals the existence of the Zhat Vash, who are secretive even by Romulan standards. Zhaban: "Zhat Vash" is a term sometimes used to refer to the dead — the only reliable keepers of secrets. Picard: Ominous. Laris: No, fitting, because that's the sole purpose of the Zhat Vash — to keep a secret so profound and terrible, just learning it can break a person's mind.
• Romulans perpetuate lies about the true effectiveness of some of their technology to trick aliens into not using it. Picard : [Romulan forensic molecular reconstruction methods] are also unreliable, and the results are dubious at best. Laris : Ah yeah, that's exactly what we wanted you to think.
• Narek trolls Soji in what is the most humorous exchange about Romulan secrecy in the franchise. Soji : Can I ask you a question? Narek : Sure, just don't expect an answer. Soji : Are we allowed to be sleeping together, or is that a secret? Narek : Very much the latter. Soji : Is everything Romulans do a secret? Narek : Ooh, I'm not at liberty to divulge that. Soji : Is your name actually Narek? Narek : It's one of them. Soji : So is there anything you can tell me about yourself? Narek : Yes. I'm a very private person.
• Hugh is surprised that Soji has read Ramdha's Romulan dossier because he doesn't have access to it even though he's the Executive Director of the Borg Reclamation Project. Soji : Usually I find that if I ask people for help, they're happy to give it. Hugh : That has not been my experience, in particular with Romulans.
• In Ramdha's pixmit card set, there's an image of a shaipouin, which is a false door. Soji : Traditional Romulan houses always have a false front door that's never used. You have to go around the back.
• Narek mentions to Soji that: Narek : Terran passenger lists are a matter of public record, which is shocking for a Romulan sensibility.
• Withholding the truth is such an ingrained behaviour that Romulans naturally assume that everyone else must be doing the same thing. Soji : Romulans love secrets. You think everyone's hiding something. Narek : Everyone is hiding something. Whether they know it or not.
• Romulans use different names depending on who they're with. Soji : Romulans have a name for outsiders, and a name for family, but your true name, you save for the one you give your heart to.
• Of course, all this gets turned on its head when the Romulans return to Vulcan and join The Federation . They end up becoming more honest and less secretive than their Vulcan brethren.
• Powered by a Black Hole : Some Romulan ships, including their iconic D'deridex -class warbird, use artificial "quantum singularities" to power their reactors in lieu of a traditional matter- antimatter warp core.
• The Romulan Empire wants to start a war with the Federation, but only the Federation. Their plots are thus focused on either making the Federation seem like the aggressor so their allies won't also join the fight, or trying to sever those alliances directly so the Federation will be isolated. Primarily, the Romulans are concerned that any war with the Federation would also entangle the Klingons, who would be more than happy to aid the Federation if the two powers came to blows. Indeed, the one time the Romulans successfully tricked Picard into making such a blunder, they backed down because Picard wisely roped in the Klingons anticipating such an outcome.
• Since the Romulan population was decimated after Romulus was destroyed, the infamously xenophobic species, whose survivors are governed ( sometimes loosely ) by the newly-formed Romulan Free State, has to make some small concessions in terms of cooperating with other aliens. At the Romulan Reclamation Site, there are scientists of various backgrounds who are working there, including Federation citizens (e.g. Trills, Andorians, etc.), whom the now-defunct Romulan Star Empire has long viewed as the enemy. Hugh, an ex-Borg drone who's either human or a Human Alien with Federation citizenship, is the Executive Director of the Borg Reclamation Project, which is independent of the Romulan Free State by treaty.
• Proportional Aging : Picard notes that, unlike him, Zani hasn't aged at all since they last met fourteen years ago. Romulans have a longer life span than humans, and hence they age more slowly.
• Proud Warrior Race Guy : More like a Proud Soldier Race, given their disciplined and strict way of life. However, they must have been a Proud Warrior Race in the distant past (possibly as far back as when they were still living on Vulcan) because some Romulans still continue the tradition of sword fighting and duels. The Qowat Milat sisterhood is a relic from that era, being an order of warrior nuns who preach the Way of Absolute Candor and who may choose to bind their sword to a quest that they deem to be worthy (i.e. a lost cause).
• Sort of a Foil to Khan in that way: both the Romulans and Khan's Augment genetic supermen were the losing side of a global war who fled to deep space, and their homeworlds couldn't follow them because they'd been recently devastated by a nuclear exchange.
• Rubber-Forehead Alien : Star Trek: Picard demonstrates that there are variations to their rubber-foreheadedness; Northerners have more prominent forehead ridges (although not to nearly the same extent as Klingons).
• Secret Police : Known as the Tal Shiar. Although as ex-member Laris points out in Picard , given how many elements of Romulan society are secretive, calling them that is a little redundant.
• Self-Disposing Villain : The Zhat Vash destroyed the Starfleet armada that would have saved their people from the supernova, thus ending the Romulan Star Empire and leaving the Romulan people a collection of refugees under the nominal authority of the Romulan Free State, a barely functioning entity that seems incapable of protecting or helping anyone.
• Shoulders of Doom : The infamous "mattress cover" costumes used on TNG . It's hard to look menacing when dressed up like a character from Dynasty (1981) .
• Sickly Green Glow : Most of their technology emits a green light.
• Smug Snake : The typical Romulan from TNG onward is one who doesn't bother hiding their belief that they are better than whoever they're talking to, and enjoy promoting their superiority.
• Snakes Are Sinister : Picard introduces the Snakehead, a Romulan scout ship, which reinforces the theme of Romulan culture identifying itself with predatory animals (the most famous being the raptor) to reflect its history of violence and conquest. The curved "wings" of the vessel are somewhat reminiscent of the hood of a cobra.
• Sneaky Spy Species : Formerly depicted as another Proud Warrior Race , by TNG they are now notorious for their duplicitousness. Quite apart from their habit of spying on other races and waiting to strike, their infamous Tal Shiar keeps a close eye on their civilian populace at all times, and is rivalled in efficiency only by the Cardassian Obsidian Order.
• The Social Darwinist : Romulan babies with birth defects are killed because they are regarded as a waste of resources. In general, any form of weakness is not tolerated. Narek : You find vulnerability and brokenness beautiful? Soji : Is that strange? To find beauty in imperfection? Narek : It's certainly not very Romulan.
• Space Cold War : Throughout the franchise, they are depicted as frosty, Machiavellian schemers who are always at war or in an uneasy truce with the Federation.
• Space Elves : If Vulcans are the archetypal Space Elves, then Romulans, their sneaky and treacherous "cousins," are the equivalent of Space Dark Elves. Along with their pointy ears, Romulans are stronger, longer-lived and have a heightened sense of smell compared to humans. The most Elf-like character in the franchise is Elnor, who looks like he had transported from Middle-earth to the Trek Verse . note  His name means "Star-Run" in Sindarin, which is another way of saying "Star-Trek."
• Space Romans : The two habitable planets in their solar system are called Romulus and Remus. Their raptor emblem is reminiscent of Ancient Rome 's aquila note  which is Latin for "eagle" . They have a Senate and they're ruled by a Praetor, with the Proconsul and the Vice-Proconsul just below that, and the other members are Senators. Centurion is a rank in their military. In TOS , their soldiers wore bronze-ish helmets.
• Spikes of Villainy : Their soldiers wear baldrics lined with spikes.
• Stealth in Space : The Romulans almost never fly anywhere without the cloak permanently switched on.
• Stereotype Flip : In the 32nd Century, the secretive Romulans have become more open and understanding, whereas the Vulcans have become insular and secretive, albeit for different reasons. The two had reunified by that time, and the Romulan population on the renamed homeworld of Ni'Var were the ones more in favor of remaining with the Federation after The Burn (Romulans being the foe that precipitated the proto-Federation to form in the first place ).
• Although overall, they are still very composed and disciplined. Ironically, despite their imperialistic empire, they seem to contradict the idea that Vulcans who don't control their emotions are a dangerous menace, since on a personal level, they rarely lose their temper or hint at uncontrollable emotions.
• Even the modern Vulcans admit that the Romulans aren't nearly as bad as the barbaric ancient Vulcans used to be.
• Strong as They Need to Be : Similar to Klingons, on the few occasions they've gotten into physical altercations with Enterprise crew members, they really haven't given them too much trouble even though they should be about as strong as Vulcans. In contrast, Kirk handily gets his ass kicked whenever he ends up having to fight Spock for one reason or another. The 2009 Star Trek reboot does show the Romulans as being somewhat stronger than humans, but still not to the degree that Spock is (although Spock is biologically unique and also benefits from Vulcan mental discipline and bodily control).
• There Are No Coincidences : One quirk of Romulan culture is that they do not believe in the concept of "luck", good or bad. If something goes wrong, it's either unintentional (someone screwed up) or on purpose (treachery).
• Token Evil Teammate : In their Enemy Mine alliance with many other Alpha Quadrant powers to combat the Dominion.
• Took a Level in Jerkass : In TOS and Star Trek VI , they were treated with far more respect and deference by the Federation. Romulan diplomats are even allowed to attend Presidential briefings. This underscores just how foul and alien the Klingons are judged to be. The dynamic was reversed in TNG , the Klingons becoming allies to the Federation while the Romulans grew more insular as a result of an alliance they perceived as a threat to themselves.
• Ungovernable Galaxy : After Romulus was obliterated when its star exploded, the Romulan Star Empire no longer exists, and without assistance from the Federation, the Neutral Zone collapsed. The Romulan Free State emerged from the ashes, but this new government doesn't have the resources to patrol such a vast region, so large areas have become lawless, including the planet Vashti where over 250,000 Romulan refugees reside.
• Unrealistic Black Hole : The Romulans use artificial singularities to power their warp drives, as opposed to the matter-antimatter reaction of most starships.
• Wild Card : The Romulans have always been the most opportunistic of Alpha Quadrant races, and with the Dominion incursion, they are put in the perfect position to watch their biggest rivals slug it out in a long, futile war. This could explain why Starfleet or the Klingons didn't approach Romulus for help at once: they could go either way. Since the Federation was taking such heavy losses already, it would just about have finished them off to have a third fleet turn against them.
• Worthy Opponent : Several of the most memorable Romulan characters in TOS , as well as a number of times in the novelizations.
• You Are Number 6 : Being an Obstructive Bureaucrat , the Romulan Free State assigns numerical designations to every employee and patient at the Romulan Reclamation Site, such as Patient 8923 stroke 3 (the "Nameless" Borg drone who undergoes the reclamation procedure) and Employee badge 74983 stroke 2 (Dr. Soji Asha).

• Always Chaotic Evil : Played surprisingly straight. Even though they are intelligent enough to carry on a conversation and can apparently feed off ordinary table salt (though they need quite a bit of it), they seem to prefer sucking it out of other lifeforms, and it's never explained why.
• Dying Race : Only a handful of them are still alive, and they've resorted to feeding off of other lifeforms to survive.
• The Famine : A bad one wiped the vast majority of them out.
• Humanoid Aliens : They have a generally humanoid build, but are covered in light gray fur, have noseless faces and gaping, jawless mouths, and large, three-fingered hands covered in suction-cup-like growths.
• Hungry Menace : They tend to feed often and heavily, and it's implied they might never feel truly full .
• Literal Maneater : Their usual method for stalking prey is to take on a form that their intended target finds pleasing or trustworthy, then lure them into a remote area to feed. Note that they'll go after either gender, and don't seem picky about what form they take to lure in prey.
• Master of Illusion : They use their Psychic Powers to put up an illusion of being a trusted or attractive individual. Since this illusion is projected straight into a target's mind, they can appear as a different person to different people in a crowd.
• Our Vampires Are Different : Alien beings that absorb salt from their prey.
• Paranoia Fuel : They seem to have become this in-universe; especially since it was discovered that the individual on M-113 was NOT The Last of His Kind ...
• Super-Toughness : One of them easily tanks several punches from Spock, a half-Vulcan three times stronger than a human of similar build. It then easily backhands him into a wall, displaying Super-Strength .
• This Was His True Form : Their illusions will fade upon death, allowing people to see what they truly are.
• Too Spicy for Yog-Sothoth : They can't process the copper-based blood of Vulcans, giving them a measure of safety from being stalked.
• Trademark Favorite Food : Salt. It's their entire diet.

• Bizarre Alien Biology : Those huge eyes give them incredible vision, but their multiple complex sinuses make it hell to get a cold. They also shed their skin once a year.
• Gargle Blaster : Saurian Brandy is extremely potent, and more popular than one might expect. It apparently "sneaks up" on you, suggesting it's not actually strong-tasting, but has a very high alcohol content.
• The Ghost : Right up until season 2 of Discovery . Saurian Brandy has been part of the franchise as far back as the first season of the original series, but the only appearance of the species themselves until very recently was a single obscured scene in a large crowd.
• Lizard Folk : Though they're more affable than most examples.
• Named After Their Planet : Sauria. 
• Starfish Language : Their language is made of clicks and pops, and even the universal translator of the 23rd century has some trouble wrangling it.
• Bizarre Alien Biology : They are able to communicate emotional states through a chemical compound that works regardless of species.
• Crippling Overspecialization : Their technology is focused on keeping themselves safe, such that they have no weapons to speak of. Their capture orbs are their only means of containing hostile vessels, and when those don't work they have no backup plan.
• Dyson Sphere : Their homeworld's sun, and that of their new star system, are surrounded by "Dyson rings", made from the same silicon-ellanium alloy that their DMA controller is made from.
• Good Counterpart : Unknown Species 10-C are a collective of beings, not unlike The Borg or The Dominion. Unlike either one of them, who were a race of cyborgs bent on total galactic assimilation and a race of xenophobic conquerors respectively, the 10-C are simply an average group of beings with remarkably advanced technology, choosing to hide from the galaxy because of losing their homeworld to a disaster. They do cause destruction, but their DMA is no weapon; it's a mining device they don't realize is wiping out innocent life. By contrast, the Borg would happily assimilate any race that they thought would improve their collective consciousness, regardless of how the actual species felt, and The Dominion would take over any race of "solids" that stood in their way, and punish any form of resistance against them. What truly distinguishes the 10-C from the others is that when The Federation arrives to alert them of what has transpired, the 10-C, despite some initial communication difficulties, are eventually able to understand and work to rectify the damage. Compare that to The Borg or The Dominion, whom Starfleet wiped out and bested in the Dominion War respectively.
• Higher-Tech Species : A millenium after the likes of Picard, Janeway, and Sisko, these guys make the Federation of that time look like children by comparison. Dr. Hirai classified them as a Type II Kardashev civilization , as their energy consumption is greater than the output of entire stars.
• Hive Mind : The 10-C exist as one mind, not just many voices as one but seemingly no distinction between individuals and the whole. This is why they have trouble understanding the damage the DMA is causing, because a single lifeform being an individual is alien to them. The diplomats and the crew of the Discovery don't realize this until T'Rina performs a Mind Meld .
• Homeworld Evacuation : Their original homeworld, a gas giant in extragalactic space, was destroyed by an asteroid bombardment in the 22nd century. The survivors colonized a star system two light-years away and terraformed its three planets into duplicates of their homeworld.
• My God, What Have I Done? : They're collectively horrified when they realize how much damage their DMA has caused.
• Never Be Hurt Again : After their original homeworld was obliterated and a fair number of them killed because they couldn't all be evacuated, their entire civilization became focused on making sure such a tragedy never befell them again. The hyperfield exists for the sole purpose of making sure nothing can get to them.
• Obliviously Evil : They deployed the DMA in the Milky Way assuming it wasn't home to sapient life, because they categorized such life as being like them. They are horrified when they realize what they've done.
• Small Universe After All : A rare example for Star Trek . Their homeworld, or at least their current residence, lies outside the galactic barrier, making it difficult to attempt First Contact with them.
• Starfish Aliens : The 10-C are gigantic, insect-like beings that dwell in the atmosphere of gas giants.
• Starfish Language : They communicate through pheromones that convey emotion, and can generate complex patterns of lights from what constitutes their face. They're so alien that they have to devise a bridge language using mathematical concepts just to communicate on a level that Federation species can understand.
• Stealth in Space : Their new home system is protected by a hyperfield that completely conceals all forms of radiation, rendering it impossible to find unless you know exactly where to look.
• Strolling on Jupiter : Their ruined homeworld was a gas giant until it was bombarded by a swarm of asteroids, burning off much of the atmosphere and leaving the solid core exposed enough for humanoids to explore.
• Sufficiently Advanced Alien : A reconstruction . While plenty of omnipotent, god-like aliens have appeared in Star Trek , they're usually played for laughs or otherwise left behind at the end of the episode. 10-C, by contrast, are played for drama — they are unbelievably advanced compared to the Federation and its neighbors, capable of cloaking entire solar systems and deploying mining equipment that can strip-mine entire sectors of boronite on a whim. Part of the reason the galaxy votes against destroying the DMA is that they're terrified that 10-C might retaliate with their actual weapons .
• Terraform : Their new home system contains three gas giants of identical mass and composition. It's implied that the 10-C terraformed them to be exact replicas of their original homeworld.

• Absolute Xenophobe : Species 8472 considers the existence of other species that can enter their dimension to be an existential threat to their own survival, and respond with total annihilation. The Voyager crew do manage to persuade them that the Federation will leave them alone, ending the potential Species 8472 threat to the Alpha Quadrant.
• Absurdly Sharp Claws : The main mode of attack. One swipe can decapitate a helmeted Hirogen.
• Anti-Villain : Genocidal, utterly destructive, nigh unstoppable — and isolationist, only attacking the galaxy because the Borg effectively tried to wipe them out in their Fluidic Space and Species 8472 went all out in making sure nothing encroached upon them again. Once they're properly informed that the Federation means them no harm and intends for them to continue living in isolation, a truce is struck and they leave without so much as a fuss.
• Curb-Stomp Battle : Their immunity to Borg nanoprobes and weaponry made their war a decidedly one-sided affair, with the extinction of the Collective a foregone conclusion until the Voyager crew intervened.
• They use organic technology which the Borg are unable to assimilate, and ridiculously outgun them. Case in point: a single Bioship destroyed a fleet of Borg cubes, and the only reason the Bioship took even temporary damage was that a Cube performed a suicide run.
• On a personal level, they are Lightning Bruisers that are twice as tall as humans, strong enough to match or exceed almost any shown species, capable of surviving in a vacuum, and possessing a Healing Factor that makes them practically unkillable and immune to even Borg probes and nanites, with telepathic powers on top of it.
• On top of that, they are highly intelligent, capable of scheming, infiltration and manipulation, the latter two being things that the Borg suck at. It's lucky for the ST universe that they chose to start their annihilation campaign in the Delta Quadrant and against the Borg. Otherwise the Federation and their peer societies would have never known what hit them.
• Earth-Shattering Kaboom : The only known race in Trek to do this repeatedly, Species 8472 prefers to simply destroy planets entirely rather than try to conquer them. After all, their goal isn't conquest, it's extermination.
• Eviler than Thou : They're more lethal than even the Borg . Yes, the near-unstoppable , all-consuming cybernetic Hive Mind that has been the terror of the galaxy for centuries is completely outclassed by the genetically superior, highly territorial eldritch aliens. The Borg want to assimilate everyone into their collective; Species 8472 wants to annihilate every other living thing because they consider it an affront to their vaunted purity. The good news for the galaxy, however, is that Species 8472 fundamentally just want to be left alone in their dimension, and cease their incursions when Voyager 's crew persuades them that the Federation will respect their isolation.
• Evil Is Visceral : Their ships are organic and the (CGI) aliens themselves look "more organic" than the usual Rubber Forehead Alien because they don't wear clothes, have extra limbs and strange eyes with complicated irises. Also, they hail from something called fluidic space.
• Evil Versus Oblivion : Species 8472's war with the Borg: the latter is a deadly force that wants to assimilate the galaxy, the former is an unstoppable juggernaut that wants to destroy it entirely. Contrary to what the Borg claim, Species 8472 are not aggressors; it had in fact long been known that the Borg themselves started the war between the two species by invading fluidic space to assimilate their technology. Species 8472 "merely" launched a counter-invasion to end the threat to fluidic space forever .
• A Form You Are Comfortable With : Concerned about the threat posed by Voyager , Species 8472 dons meatsuits and builds a recreation of Starfleet Academy as a staging ground for an intelligence gathering mission on Earth. The plan is uncovered by Voyager and peace talks commence. Voyager eventually convinces them that the Federation has no quarrel with them.
• Genocide Backfire : The Borg discovered and invaded their native dimension, known as Fluidic Space, intending to assimilate their species like so many others. 8472 not only drove them out of their realm, but launched a counter-invasion of the Milky Way that threatened to wipe out not only the entire Collective, but everything besides .
• Their incredibly powerful regenerative capabilities are also the primary reason why they pose such a threat to the Borg. Species 8472 is outright immune to Borg assimilation because any Borg nanites that are injected into their blood stream will be dismantled by their immune system faster than they can replicate.
• Kryptonite-Proof Suit : Their autoimmune system makes them impervious to Borg assimilation, destroying the nanites before they can even take hold.
• Lean and Mean : They are a bit on the thin side.
• Living Ship : They travel around in a type of organic spacecraft known only as a bioship, which is composed of the same flesh as their pilots. The bioship's main weapon is powerful enough to destroy a Borg cube in only a few shots. Likewise, when a Borg cube rammed a bioship, both vessels were blown to bits despite the comparatively smaller mass of the bioship. The weapons of eight bioships (referred to in Star Trek: Armada II as "Species 8472 battleships") can combine firepower to destroy an entire planet. And they also heal like their pilots.
• Mind Rape : They subject Kes to violent and disturbing visions, premonitions, and threats whenever they're close enough to sense her thoughts.
• Poisonous Person : Their somatic cells can become extremely virulent when in a foreign blood-stream. When a member of Species 8472 attacks a victim with its claws, some of the former's cells are left in the wound. These stray cells multiply rapidly, consuming their prey from the inside out while the victim remains conscious .
• Social Darwinist : Implied to have this mindset from their first statement of intent to Voyager 's crew: "The weak shall perish."
• Super-Strength : Strong enough to charge through walls, send people flying, figuratively and literally crush the super strong cyborgs that are the Borg, amd tear through starship hulls.
• Telepathy : Species 8472 is telepathic and can send Kes and Tuvok messages.
• Ultimate Life Form : The Borg view them as "the apex of biological evolution." Unfortunately for them, it turns out they're also capable of No Selling their assimilation techniques.
• You Are Number 6 : Their real name is unknown. "Species 8472" is their boilerplate Borg designation. Star Trek Online , which is non-canon, calls them "Undine."

• Abusive Precursors : They created the Delphic Expanse a thousand years ago for the purpose of transforming our galaxy into something their race can inhabit.
• Diabolus ex Nihilo : We never do learn why they want to invade the galaxy, but they've been working on it since at least the twelfth century.
• God Guise : The Xindi referred to the Sphere-Builders as "the Guardians," and revered them as religious figures. After the destruction of the Xindi homeworld, the Builders appeared to the Xindi survivors (convenient, that), lending them maps to habitable planets and resources. Similarly, the Triannons referred to them as "the Makers," and believed that they were transforming the Delphic Expanse into a paradise for their eventual return.
• Greater-Scope Villain : Of the Temporal Cold War. Their relation to the Suliban and the Na'Kuhl is unclear, but it's a good bet that the Sphere Builders' mission was by far the most destructive of that conflict, and their ability to examine alternate timelines put them perilously close to achieving it.
• Hand Blast : Demonstrate the ability to fire energy balls from their hands when they personally attack the Enterprise .
• Hoist by His Own Petard : As a result of their plan to destroy Earth, Enterprise ended up destroying the sphere network, making it unlikely they'll invade in the future.
• Hostile Terraforming : The Spheres are used to make normal space habitable for their race prior to invasion. In the Bad Future seen in "Azati Prime", they wiped out 50,000 light-years of space (1/3rd of the galaxy) before The Federation finally pushed them back in the 26th century.
• Immune to Bullets : Being transdimensional beings, phaser shots just pass right through them. Dr. Phlox eventually comes up with a method of rotating the phaser frequency that makes the phasers come close enough to hitting them that they're finally forced to retreat.
• It's the Only Way to Be Sure : They're desperate to prevent the Federation from being founded, and are constantly pushing the Xindi to exterminate mankind down to the last child to make sure there won't be any chance of a revival.
• Near-Villain Victory : In the episode "Twilight," Archer is impaired with transdimensional parasites and because of this, the Xindi succeed in destroying Earth. The Sphere Builders would have been victorious in their goal of conquering the galaxy, had Phlox not found a way to eliminate the parasites in the present while also eliminating them in the past. This resets the timeline and ultimately ensures the Builders' defeat.
• Rubber-Forehead Alien : Hairless, with a vertical ridge along the bridge of their nose and a slightly different skull shape.
• Sinister Geometry : The spheres, which are nineteen kilometers across and made entirely of a single alloy.
• Time Travel for Fun and Profit : Using their inter-dimensional abilities, the Builders foresaw that the Federation would repel their eventual invasion, and sought to snuff Earth out preemptively.

• All There in the Manual : The Srivani are never actually referred to by their species name onscreen, only in the shooting script.
• Artistic License – Biology : Certain features of the scientific method include controlling the variables of each experiment and being able to repeat results, something that's hard to see as possible with 100 different experiments done on a crew of various races, all of which (except for Neelix) live tens of thousands of light years away.
• Barcode Tattoo : How they're ultimately detected: they mark their subjects with these on fragments of their DNA , only visible with specialized non-medical equipment on the highest magnification settings.
• Condescending Calmness : After being caught, the alien scientist tries to talk to Janeway in this manner. She's too pissed off to buy it.
• Cow Tools : Their medical devices are all the more menacing because it's hard to tell exactly what they're doing.
• Does This Remind You of Anything? : It's not hard to draw parallels between the Srivani and war criminals like Nazi physician Josef Mengele, or the Imperial Japanese Army's Unit 731, though the Srivani at least claim to be doing their experiments for the betterment of others, instead of the aforementioned subjects For the Evulz approach.
• For Science! : The Srivani have taken this excuse to a ludicrous extreme, using it to justify live experimentation on sentient beings. Alzen: Please understand that there's a purpose to our actions. The data we gather from you may help us cure physical and psychological disorders that afflict millions. Isn't that worth some discomfort?
• Just One Second Out of Sync : In addition to their medical technology, the Srivani use a phasing cloak to make themselves and their experiments invisible.
• Moral Myopia : The Srivani apparently see themselves as noble scientists doing what's needed to make life better for others. That they accomplish this by making unwilling victims of their experiments apparently doesn't factor into the equation.
• No Sympathy : The one Srivani that is captured refuses to release Voyager 's crew or stop the experiments ahead of schedule, even going so far as to say she shouldn't even be talking to Janeway, much less answering some of her questions.
• Playing with Syringes : The aliens come across as an entire civilization who do what they do with the flimsiest of justifications. They routinely do medical experiments on sentient creatures, mutilating, torturing them, and even killing them if they feel it will benefit their medical research to do so. They feel completely justified in their actions and not only do they feel no remorse or regret over their actions, they feel that what they do is noble and beneficial. Genetically deforming, maiming and killing the crew of Voyager is the Nightmare Fuel evidence of their crimes and that is only the tip of the iceberg. What is really terrifying is that their flimsy justifications allow them to murder entire societies with impunity and go on torturing and killing as many sentient creatures as they feel is necessary for their "research."
• See the Invisible : A low-power phaser burst set to a certain frequency will render the Srivani's personal cloaks ineffective, as will the same setting on any visual scanning equipment.
• Stupid Evil : The Srivani seem completely taken by surprise when Janeway puts Voyager on a suicide course in an effort to force them off the ship.
• Unwitting Test Subject : Much of the Voyager crew (sans the Doctor) are made this, and Alzen unashamedly admits her people do this to any and everyone they can, all in the name of advancing their medical research.
• You Know Too Much : It's only implied, but given that the Srivani immediately take steps to neutralize B'Elanna and the Doctor when they stumble upon what's going on, it's logical to assume they do the same in any other situation where they're on the verge of being detected.

• Bald of Evil : They have no hair, and the majority of them that we see are bad news.
• Does This Remind You of Anything? : An alien race called the Suliban are being used as terrorist frontmen, in a show made in the early 00s.
• From Nobody to Nightmare : The Suliban were originally just a backwards race from a nondescript world. Thanks to Future Guy's genetic meddling, they now have a host of superpowers and cloaking technology, making them a threat to many of the spacefaring species in the Alpha/Beta quadrants.
• Giving Radio to the Romans : Their technology and genetic upgrades come from Future Guy, who offers them in exchange for the Suliban helping him achieve his ends in the Temporal Cold War.
• My Species Doth Protest Too Much : Not all of them work for Future Guy. In "Broken Bow" Archer encounters a Suliban resistance against the Cabal, and in "Detained" the Tandarans have an internment camp full of innocent Suliban civilians.
• Mysterious Employer : They're essentially footsoldiers for Future Guy, a shadowy figure from the 28th century, whose identity was never revealed in the show.
• Rubber Man : Thanks to Future Guy, many Suliban have the ability to squeeze through tight cracks and bend their limbs at unnatural angles.
• Space Nomads : After their homeworld became uninhabitable, the Suliban scattered across the Alpha and Beta Quadrants. Many of them live among alien populations such as the Tandarans, while others live in space stations called Helixes.
• Starter Villain : Served as the main recurring antagonists of Enterprise for the beginning of the show, before being replaced by the more credible threat of the Xindi in Season 3.
• Stealth in Space : Their ships have cloaking devices, which gives them a significant advantage against the more well-established species in their area of operation.
• What Happened to the Mouse? : In the 23rd and 24th centuries, despite being a well-known species in the 22nd.
• Visible Invisibility : They have a cloaking ability similar to that of the Jem'Hadar, one of the many genetic gifts from Future Guy.
• Voluntary Shapeshifting : Silik and Sarin, at least, are capable of changing their appearance to match other humanoids. Another reward from Future Guy, no doubt.
• Zerg Rush : Most of their starships are small single-pilot pods known as "cell ships". They're not very powerful on their own, but they can be a threat in large numbers and can even link together to form larger ships or space stations. The largest individual ship we see is a light cruiser which crews twenty Suliban.

Homeworld: Talax A race of space warthogs who inhabit many sectors of the Delta Quadrant (like the Kazon, their race was scattered following a war). They share much in common with Bolians, including a knack for cooking, although their jolly nature is taken up to eleven.

• Binary Suns : Their homeworld is located in a trinary system.
• Classy Cravat : The men all wear these.
• Hollywood Tone-Deaf : Talaxian vocal cords are actually incapable of singing on-key, although Neelix managed to wheeze out a halfway-decent ditty.
• Hot Blooded Sideburns : Negated by Talaxian pacifism. However, tugging on their whiskers is considered a pleasurable come-on.
• Named After Their Planet : Their home planet was called Talax.
• The Scrounger : This seems to be their species' hat, following the conquest of their homeworld by the Haakonians. Most of the Talaxians we see across Voyager are just trying to make a living and don't have much in the way of political motivations. It's not even clear if they still have a government.
• Spare Body Parts : Surprisingly, Talaxians have two spinal columns, similar to Klingons.
• Unaffected by Spice : It was hinted at that Talaxians have a higher tolerance for spicy foods than other races. In "Faces", Neelix prepares a 'watered-down' plomeek soup, a mere sip of which knocks a sturdy Vulcan flat. Neelix, however, is able to guzzle down the soup as a beverage.

Homeworld: Talos IV The very first antagonistic aliens created for Star Trek . A species of incredibly powerful telepaths, the Talosians eke out a blissful existence beneath the ruined surface of their homeworld, Talos IV. Little is known about their culture or technology, but Starfleet has barred all access to Talos — punishable by death — for fear of their telepathic abilities becoming a danger to the Federation.

• After the End : The Talosians destroyed their old civilization in a nuclear war thousands of years ago, and the survivors moved underground to escape the ensuing holocaust.
• Binary Suns : Talos is a circumbinary system, with eleven planets orbiting two suns clustered at the center.
• Creative Sterility : As a consequence of using their telepathic projections to escape the bleak realities of their post-apocalyptic lives, the Talosians have forgotten how to use or maintain most of the technology built by their ancestors.
• Dying Race : The Keeper fears the Talosians are facing extinction as a result of their Creative Sterility , hence his plan to create a colony of human slaves on Talos IV.
• Godzilla Threshold : Starfleet General Order 7: "No vessel under any condition, emergency or otherwise, is to visit Talos IV." As of 2267 it's the only regulation that carries the threat of capital punishment if broken. The exact rationale for this directive is never explicitly stated, but presumably the Talosians' telepathic powers scared the bigwigs quite a bit.
• My Brain Is Big : The most non-human thing about them is their enlarged cranium.
• Named After Their Planet : The species' true name is unknown; the name "Talosian" is given to them by the crew of the Enterprise .
• Numbered Homeworld : Talos IV. Again, that's the Federation's name for their planet — the local name is unknown.
• Psychic Static : The only way to block out their telepathy is anger and hatred, thoughts too primitive for them to handle.
• Telepathy : Their signature ability. Not only can they read minds, they can project complex and incredibly realistic illusions into the minds of others across galactic distances.
• Well-Intentioned Extremist : They're not bad guys, just desperate. Everything they put Captain Pike and his crew through is part of a last-ditch attempt to stave off extinction, and when they finally accept that they've failed they allow their prisoners to go free with no hard feelings.
• We Will Use Manual Labor in the Future : The Talosians tried to create a colony of human slaves through Captain Pike and Vina in order to stave off extinction.

    Tamarians  "Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra." Debut: TNG , " Darmok "

Homeworld: Sigma Tama IV A scaly, humanoid race whose most distinctive feature is their incredibly unusual language. Diplomacy with them was nearly impossible, because all of their spoken grammar, syntax, and vocabulary are non-literal, poetic allusions to a rich and detailed literary and mythical culture they memorize in childhood. Their language has been loosely described as something along the lines as "if humans spoke entirely in Shakespeare references that only make sense if you've memorized the author's entire works". This essentially turned anything they said into Word Salad when put into translation technology.

Once Picard, Troi, and Data were able to puzzle out how their language worked, progress was made on integrating them into the galactic community.

• Anthropic Principle : The writers have admitted that the Tamarian language would not be practical for such an advanced society (science, medicine, and a whole lot of other disciplines would be nearly impossible to discuss). Short stories have introduced the concept that Tamarians have a secondary music-like language used exclusively for science and mathematics.
• Lost in Translation : The Tamarians speak entirely in allegories referencing their people's mythology and literature. The universal translator can translate the words of their speech, but without the context behind their phrases, actual communication proves difficult. By Star Trek: Lower Decks , Starfleet has managed to update the universal translator to accurately convey the intent behind their language, though it slips every so often.
• Noodle Incident : Much like human pop-culture references, it is implied that many of their allegories are based on real events.
• Popcultural Osmosis Failure : Aliens who communicate soley by exchanging (their) pop-culture references—which make no sense to anyone else.
• Planet of Hats : Zig-zagged. Their culture is portrayed as pretty understandable if you read their literature, but their language is basically the main thing that makes them unique.
• Serious Business : Memorizing stories by heart is this in their culture.
• Speaks in Shout-Outs : Their spoken language is all either references to, or quotes from their myths and literature.
• Strange-Syntax Speaker : The Tamarians are an entire civilization of these. Forget subject-verb-object in any order, the language consists almost exclusively of "proper noun, prepositional phrase."

    Targs  Debut: TNG , " Where No One Has Gone Before "

• Full-Boar Action : They look much like Terran boars, except bigger and with spikes covering their heads and spines.
• Hot-Blooded : Wild targs are every bit as tempermental as the Klingons they share their planet with. They can, however, still be domesticated as both Worf and Martok had pet targs in their pasts.
• Older Than They Look : In Enterprise , Antaak, a Klingon doctor who looks to be in his sixies at least, claims that his pet targ was his first patient when he was a child. This indicates that targs can live for decades, much longer than pigs or boars on Earth.

• Alien Blood : Their blood contains hemerytherin and is purple in color.
• Blue-and-Orange Morality : Blustering insults represent formal politeness; a conversation begins with complaints and insults. In the Tellarite mind, this is simply testing whether or not your ideas are rigorous and well thought out enough to withstand healthy critique.
• Fantastic Slurs : The name "Pog" was reserved for Tellarites who were considered runts.
• Hufflepuff House : One of the founding races of the Federation, but get very little screentime or mentions.
• Jews Love to Argue : Of all the TOS races to be brought back in Enterprise , these guys are painted with the broadest brush. "Sarek said something in a scene once that was meant to demonstrate that he was stand-offish and kinda rude , but we like Sarek, so it's now the defining attribute of this species ."
• Named After Their Planet : Tellar Prime, or simply Tellar.
• Our Dwarves Are All the Same : Short, hairy, and with a bad attitude, the Tellarites are Space Dwarves to the Vulcans' Space Elves .
• Pig Man : They have distinctive snouts, often wore beards, and their hands were sometimes hoof-like in appearance. Their lower jaw usually possessed a pair of small tusks, some more prominant than others, which give them a rather swine-like appearance. Doesn't help that in "Star Trek: 25th Anniversary" shows that in terms of religion, the wolf-like Krognik demon was the equivalent of the Devil.
• Stealth Pun : They're porcine aliens who are infamous for being stubborn. In other words, they're "pig-headed".
• Undying Loyalty : The Tellarites are the only founding members of the Federation to stay members in the aftermath of the Burn. The Humans left out of a desire to defend themselves, the Vulcans left because the Federation refused to stop the experiments they believed caused the Burn, and the Andorians came under the control of the Emerald Chain, but the Tellarites stuck with the Federation.

Homeworld: Earth (or Terra ) An alternate human species hailing from the Mirror Universe . In that reality they have forged a brutal Empire that rules through terror and frequently enslaves or exterminates aliens, making for a stark Evil Counterpart to The Federation .

• Absolute Xenophobe : They're characterized this way in Discovery , but TOS and Enterprise portray them as more Equal-Opportunity Evil despite still being human-centric.
• Alternate Universe Reed Richards Is Awesome : 22nd century Terrans have all the tech of their counterparts and more (an Enterprise NX-01 with a cloaking device, tractor beam and escape pods, all features the "good" Enterprise lacks)... but they're also violent, bigoted assholes who got that tech via murdering and enslaving the crap out of everyone they run into. The theft of the Prime universe Constitution -class Defiant ensures that they remain roughly on par with the Federation into the 23rd century, before they were ultimately conquered.
• Chronic Backstabbing Disorder : This is practically a way of life for them, to the point that it's amazing they have enough people to run an empire.
• Do Not Go Gentle : According to the 32nd century historian Kovich, a Terran with a terminal disease will look for a way to go down fighting and die a good death.
• The Empire : The Terran Empire is very much this, being devoted to conquest and control of alien races, and even provides the page image.
• Equal-Opportunity Evil : Aliens are permitted to join Starfleet and even serve as officers, although they're still largely treated as second-class citizens. This has the effect of an Enterprise which is more cosmopolitan than the good version, in terms of crew (regular Enterprise is eighty-odd humans, one Denobulan and a Vulcan who didn't want to be there. Mirror Enterprise has Andorians, Tellarites and Orions in its crew).
• Even Evil Has Loved Ones : Despite being almost entirely made up of evil xenophobes trying to conquer everything in sight, plenty of them are capable of love and loyalty. Mirror Georgiou and Lorca loved their Burnham (maternally and romantically, respectively). Mirror Lorca had at least one follower who was loyal years after he disappeared, apparently dead. He was also tortured by a different Mirror Starfleet Officer for getting his (the Officer's) sister killed.
• Evil Cannot Comprehend Good : The majority of them are vicious, raving nutcases who are incapable of acting good for even five seconds (Mirror Kirk and co were apparently outed almost instantly after manifesting in the prime universe). Mirror Georgiou isn't able to restrain her Fantastic Racism and arrogance for that long. Even after turning vaguely good-ish, some of them (Mirror Bashir, for example) are still unstable psychos. However, there are a few occasional subversions, such as Smiley O'Brien , or Mirror Gabriel Lorca , who was able to impersonate his prime counterpart for a few months.
• Evil Counterpart : To the United Federation of Planets .
• Evil Is Hammy : Mirror Kirk, Mirror Archer, Mirror Georgiou, Mirror Lorca... you'd think the Empire went into space mainly to find unchewed scenery.
• Fantastic Racism : Their hat until Deep Space Nine .
• For the Evulz : They essentially live by the credo of doing stuff for no other reason than "felt like it". That's the exact words a Federation historian describes them with.
• Heel–Face Turn : In Deep Space Nine they're fighting for freedom against the Klingons and Cardassians, and have largely left their xenophobia behind. They've even got aliens such as Trill and Ferengi in their ranks!
• In Spite of a Nail : Despite their radically different history from that of the Federation, the same people generally end up in the same places at the same time.
• In the Blood : During Discovery , it's suggested their many, many unpleasant traits are actually partly biological. Mirror Geogiou casts scorn on this one, and this may have been an interrogation tactic rather than actual truth.
• Klingon Promotion : A common way for Terran Starfleet officers to advance in rank. Unlike Klingons, who actually have systems in place, Terrans will just do it at the drop of a hat (although Chekhov's dialogue in "Mirror, Mirror" suggests that whoever's gunning for the promotion had better have a good excuse ready).
• La Résistance : After being enslaved by the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance, the Terrans eventually put together a rebellion and try to win their freedom back.
• Laser-Guided Karma : After two centuries of violently killing everyone who didn't bend the knee to them, they were overthrown by a Klingon-Cardassian-Bajoran alliance.
• Made a Slave : The entire race suffers this after the Terran Empire is overthrown by the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance, in a nice stroke of irony.
• Planet Terra : Zig-zagged. In Enterprise , Mirror Earth is still called Earth, but in Discovery it's Terra.
• Sigil Spam : The Terran Empire plasters its logo everywhere , from the hulls of their ships to doors and computer monitors.
• Space-Filling Empire : The Terran Empire is said to control an astonishingly huge tract of the galaxy by the 23rd century, more territory than prime-universe Starfleet has even explored in its century of existence.
• Technology Uplift : Terrans were just a bunch of violent maniacs stuck on an insignicant little blue-green planet 'till some guy called Zefram Cochrane cobbled together a primitive warp-capable vessel, which attracted some nearby Vulcans (who up until that point had figured mankind was too primitive to bother with). The minute the Vulcans landed, the inhabitants of Bozeman, Montana mugged them and stole their ship, and from there...
• The Unfettered : The more bonkers ones tend not to be constrained by little things like morality, empathy, sanity, reality... they'll just do what they want, consequences be damned.
• Weakened by the Light : Terrans are slightly photosensitive compared to prime universe humans, which is a major plot point in Star Trek: Discovery .

Homeworld: Tholia A temperamental and isolationist species of crystalline builds. The Tholians aren't on good terms with the Federation, generally staying in the borders of their own territory, responding to any violation of their territory with force. By the 24th century, diplomatic relations with the Federation are still decidedly frosty.

• Beehive Barrier : Their famous Tholian Webs, energy barriers generated by their ships, which can imprison and destroy other ships. The more Tholians there are around, the quicker they can make them.
• Berserk Button : Don't lie to them. They take it poorly.
• Bystander Syndrome : They decided to sit out the Dominion War, signing a non-aggression treaty.
• Crystalline Creature : They resemble crystalline centaurs, with six radially-symmetrical legs, a pillar-like torso, two arms and a roughly diamond-shaped head. They also require a temperature of 404 degrees fahrenheit to feel comfortable, and freeze solid and shatter at temperatures humans can tolerate.
• Evil Is Burning Hot : Their preferred climate has a temperature of 480 Kelvin. Tholia is often speculated to be a Y-class planet , the most hostile environment possible for humanoids.
• Extremophile Lifeforms : Their preferred environment is hundreds of degrees hot. An M-class environment will kill them instantly.
• Ludicrous Precision : Punctuality is their hat . If they grant you "one hour and fifty-three minutes" for a rescue mission, you have exactly that long to finish up before they open fire.
• Named After Their Planet : The planet Tholia.
• Real Life Writes the Plot : Or in the case, means the plot doesn't get written. Ron Moore wanted to use the Tholians during DS9 , but the technology required to depict them just didn't exist in the 90s. It wasn't until season 4 of Enterprise that the Tholians could be shown in all their glory.
• Silicon-Based Life : According to the script for "The Tholian Web", though not stated outright on screen. They provide the page image for this trope.
• Spider People : A vaguely-humanoid head and torso with claws and six legs. It's hinted that they can produce webbing ("Tholian silk"), which presumably inspired their signature starship weapons.
• Starfish Aliens : They stand out as one of the odder species. Insectoid androgynous crystalline things, who survive in extreme heat and can even function as short-range living communicators.
• Weaksauce Weakness : The cold. Since they operate at extremely high temperatures, lowering it causes them pain. Lower it far enough, and they shatter .

Homeworld: Iota Geminorium IV Headless, legless cat bodies which can reproduce by the thousands. Most of a tribble's physiognomy is comprised of the uterus, as they are born pregnant.

• Big Eater : Actually, a tribble can subsist on very little (a crumb is enough to spawn a litter of ten), but their appetites are apparently bottomless.
• The Blank : Tribbles have eyes and mouths, but they are located near the belly and are so small as to be imperceptible. The original prop tribbles were based on a lucky rabbit's foot keychain.
• Body of Bodies : Huckster Cyrano Jones attempted to genetically modify the tribbles to reproduce less, making them safe for human ecosystems and "a great pet." Unbeknowst to Jones at the time, his lab work was "slipshod" and caused the Tribbles to instead grow to huge size. Dr. McCoy figured out that these so called giant tribbles were actually a colony of tribbles, similar to a rat king.
• Cuteness Proximity : Proximity to tribbles has been known to induce cooing and petting in all non-Klingon lifeforms. Not even Changelings and Vulcans are immune.
• The Dreaded : Their voracious appetites and rabbit-like rate of reproduction make them a cause of concern. Klingons are quite unnerved by them, in particular, considering them an ecological disaster and singlehandedly carrying out their extermination.
• Explosive Breeder : Assuming an average litter of ten, every twelve hours. And there's every indication Tribbles breed a lot faster than that. McCoy even figured the little things are born pregnant. McCoy : Which seems to be quite a time-saver!
• Fantastic Racism : They hate Klingons, who hate them back so deeply they were prepared to declare war just to get their hands on one of the tribbles' natural predators. Worf: THE FEELING'S... the feeling's mutual .
• Fling a Light into the Future : A number of tribbles were accidentally brought back to Deep Space Nine from the past, and the species was re-established, undoing the Klingon Empire's efforts to bring about the extinction of the tribble. Deep Space 9 was subsequently overrun with the creatures. Sisko : I'm open to suggestions people. Dax : We could build a new station.
• Happy Fun Ball : Klingon hunting parties were no match for the tribble. Eventually, they got fed up and plotted a course to the tribble homeworld, blowing it to smithereens. Odo : Another glorious chapter in Klingon history. Tell me, do they still sing songs of 'The Great Tribble Hunt?'
• Horde of Alien Locusts : Much like actual locusts, they can swiftly devastate a planet's entire ecosystem, and are capable of swiftly stripping the agricultural base from entire planets.
• Multiple-Choice Past : In Star Trek: Enterprise 's "The Breach", Phlox claims that the tribbles' Explosive Breeding is an evolved response to living on a Death World swarming with reptilian predators. However, the Star Trek: Discovery Short Trek "The Trouble with Edward" (set a century after that) contradicts this by making it the result of a Mad Scientist who wanted to speed up their reproduction to use them as a food source.
• Non-Malicious Monster : They hold no ill will towards anyone with the exception of Klingons and their euphoria-inducing effects can even be used in a positive manner. However, their Explosive Breeding combined with their cuteness often causes those who encounter them to be too distracted by their adorableness to properly manage their inevitable population explosion until it's too late.
• The Nose Knows : A tribble can detect a Klingon no matter what they look like.
• Ridiculously Cute Critter : Tribbles evolved to purr whenever they're touched by a humanoid. The cooing sound produces a tranquilizing effect—but the fun ends there. Tribbles are also used as a healing device by petting them while on away missions in the Orion Pirates video game and in Star Trek Online .
• Sitcom Archnemesis : Klingons are unique among Star Trek's races in their extreme hatred of the creatures. The feeling was apparently mutual, because tribbles emit a loud shrieking noise instead of their normal soothing purr in the presence of Klingons. This caused problems for Arne Darvin, an undercover Klingon spy. During The Animated Series , they were prepared to go to war with the Federation over access to tribbles' natural predator; that's how much they hate tribbles.

Homeworld: Trill Trills have evolved to coexist with an ageless alien slug (known as a symbiont) in their abdomen. Ordinary Trills are weak, standard humanoids; when "joined," however, they gain the knowledge and experience of the symbiont's previous hosts. Left to their own devices, the symbionts are an endangered species, living out a dull existence in underground pools. The Trills sported a rubber forehead on TNG, but makeup artist Micheal Westmore unashamedly changed their look when Terry Farrell was cast as one. Westmore then suggested, meh, just give her spots like we gave Famke , and the rest is history.

• Alien Sea : According to Jadzia, Trill's oceans have a purple tint compared to those of Earth.
• They are noted for their cold hands, for some reason. This is probably the least bizarre thing about them.
• The brain of a joined Trill has two cerebral nuclei and two brain wave patterns. Dr. Bashir compared them with two linked computers, which both work for the same task.
• Body Surf : In a toss-up, the life of the symbiont matters more than its host's. In the event of sudden injury, sometimes the body is sacrificed to keep the worm alive.
• Likewise, the symbiont will also die unless returned to their habitat (pools of nutrient-rich milk on the Trill homeworld) or rejoined within 48 hours.
• Depopulation Bomb : As revealed in Star Trek: Discovery 's third season, the Burn in the 31st century devastated the Trill population, to the point that the symbionts actually outnumbered the hosts for a change, and forced most of them to return to their homeworld to stave off extinction.
• Early-Installment Weirdness : It's not a fault of TNG that DS9 would later state that the Trill have a much larger presence in the Federation than is initially shown (Curzon Dax was responsible for the signing of the Khitomer accords, probably the single most important piece of legislation next to the Prime Directive) but in hindsight it jars with the " The Host ", which goes to great pains to show that nobody in Starfleet (not even the esteemed Dr. Bev) knows anything about the nature of these beings. The TNG Trill also have rubber foreheads rather than spots, and the symbiote is shown as totally taking over the host instead of forming a combined consciousness; the hosts are seemingly a bit dim rather than fully sapient beings in their own right.
• Fantastic Caste System : The joined have more prestige then the unjoined.
• Government Conspiracy : The official records state that the viability rate for Trills to become hosts for symbionts is one in every thousand. What the Symbiosis Commission is hiding, however, is that approximately half of the total Trill population is capable of bonding with a symbiont. The reason for the deception is that there are simply too few symbionts in existence, and letting the truth of host viability be revealed would cause civil unrest and place the symbionts at risk. When Jadzia Dax started to fall deathly ill due to the emergence of suppressed memories from Joran, a previous host that had been designated as "unviable," the Symbiosis Commission was prepared to let her die to protect this secret.
• The Hedonist : A largely positive example. As part of their contribution to their symbiont's massive library of experiences, Trill hosts are encouraged to indulge in just about every pleasure under the sun(s).
• Heroic Host : The Dax symbiont helped negotiate the Khitomer accords, and even (gulp) dated Bones McCoy in medical school.
• Human Aliens : At least for the humanoid Trill. The only outside difference is the leopard-like spots on the neck. The Trill symbionts? Not so much.
• Immortality Bisexuality : Dax has been married six times: four times as the bride, and twice as the groom. In one episode, Jadzia Dax bucks the system and kisses her former spouse, who happens to be a lady. Odan tried to put the moves on Dr. Crusher once his symbiont was transplanted into a woman but she emphatically said no, although she claimed it was discomfort with a partner who could so dramatically change rather than because she was uncomfortable with a female partner.
• Kangaroo Pouch Ride : The symbionts are surgically inserted through a slit in their host's abdomen.
• The zhian'tara , the Trill answer to the Vulcan katra. It allows joined Trill to convene with their previous hosts for a day. During the rite, the personalities of the old hosts are telepathically implanted into willing participants (usually loved ones or friends) by an employee of the Symbiosis Commission.
• Trills can also commune with old hosts on their own using the Rite of Emergence, although it only works on one personality. This involves lots of chanting and an incense pot full of mud; possibly the kind the symbionts live in, although this is just conjecture.
• Little Bit Beastly : The spots go "all the way down," baby.
• Living Forever Is Awesome : Joined Trills have a big legacy to live up to. With that in mind, the most important quality looked for in candidates (after high intelligence and aptitude in their chosen field) seems to be a bon vivant personalty that has a good chance to nurture a noted scientist, artist, or politician.
• Loss of Identity : Unjoined Trill without a strong enough will and personality run the risk of being overwhelmed by their symbiote's if joined. This is one of the reasons that potential hosts are vetted carefully; for example, Ezri (who was not meant to be a host) spends months being uncomfortably barraged by Dax's memories and emotions before finally getting a handle on them.
• Magic by Any Other Name : There's no small amount of mysticism surrounding the symbionts and the joining process, which often manifest as what can only be described as supernatural forces. In addition to the zhian'tara mentioned above, the symbionts seem to be the Domain Holders of their caves beneath the surface of Trill, and can temporarily Ascend to a Higher Plane of Existence at will, sometimes bringing their hosts along for the ride.
• The Masquerade : It is widely believed that only a small fraction (0.1%) of the humanoid Trill population is suitable for being joined with a symbiont, which is why unjoined Trill have to undergo such an extensive vetting process to become a candidate for being a host. In truth, almost half of all humanoid Trill are capable of being joined. The Trill government continues to perpetuate the myth, lest the symbionts become a commodity to be bought, sold and fought over. As long as it is widely believed that only the chosen few can become hosts, the government reasons, such piracy can be avoided.
• Named After Their Planet : Their homeworld is simply called "Trill". A planet called Trillius Prime was mentioned in Star Trek: Enterprise , but it's not clear if they're the same place.
• No Biochemical Barriers : In rare cases, symbionts can be joined with non-Trills, but the differences in biology means this is normally only a stop-gap. Commander Riker was briefly joined to the Odan symbiont in "The Host" so that Odan could complete peace negotiations, and to keep Odan alive until a replacement host arrived. While this ordeal saved Odan's life, it nearly killed Riker. On the other hand, a human named Adira has been successfully joined with a squid and survived with nothing worse than temporary amnesia, but only with the benefit of medical technology a millenia more advanced than Riker had access to.
• The Nth Doctor / Really 700 Years Old : The symbionts. The humanoid Trill have a lifespan close to humans'.
• Progressively Prettier : In addition to the forehead, we never see Dax's enflamed belly bulge out disturbingly as Odan's does in "The Host", and more importantly he doesn't sport the distinctive Trill markings. There are definite perks to being a Trek regular.
• Trill Guardians (the monk-like unjoined Trill who care for the symbiotes in their natural habitat) seem to possess an assortment of semi-mystical abilities similar to those used by Vulcans, such as the ability to transfer memories / consciousness through touch (even to telepathy-resistant races like Changelings and Ferengi), as well as seemingly being able to "sense" intimate details about a symbiote simply by looking at the host. These abilities don't seem to be possessed by the general Trill population, including joined Trill.
• Unjoined symbiotes in their pools communicate via bioelectrical signals.
• Weaksauce Weakness : Trill are strongly allergic to insect bites, because the toxins interfere with the biochemical reactions between host and symbiont.
• You're Nothing Without Your Phlebotinum : The symbionts are helpless, slimy worms who possess the cumulative knowledge of their previous hosts, but lack the important stuff, like hands.

    Vau N'Akat  "There is no barrier we cannot overcome, for we are Vau N'Akat." Debut: PRO , " Lost and Found "

• Alien Hair : Of the "hair tentacle" variety.
• Bad Future : In a possible 25th century, the Vau N'Akat destroyed themselves in a civil war following First Contact with the Federation.
• Disappears into Light : When a Vau N'Akat dies, their body evaporates into blue particles.
• Dying Race : The Diviner maintains that he and Gwyn are the Last of Their Kind . The truth is more complicated: as of 2383, their homeworld and civilization are still alive and well, but he's a time traveler who witnessed their self-destruction in the 25th century and went back in time to prevent it. It's revealed in the second half of season 1 that at least one other traveled back in time as well, hiding herself among Vice-Admiral Janeway's crew. To the extent that their race survives in the future, their civilization has been decimated but a small fraction survived the war.
• Fantastic Racism : Prior to First Contact with the Federation, the Vau N'Akat believed they were the apex of creation. A large percentage of their population were unwilling to accept that they were just one of countless intelligent species, and pushed for isolationism rather than maintaining diplomatic relations with aliens. This divide sparked a civil war on their homeworld that ultimately destroyed their civilization, and only the worst of them made it out the other side.
• Foil : The Vau N'Akat's story of first contact is an inversion of humanity's. Whereas humans were struggling to recover from the worst conflict in their history when they first learned of extraterrestrials, and quickly unified into a thriving new society, Vau N'Akat civilization was at its apex when the Federation found them, after which they devolved into a civil war that left them nearly extinct. (Additionally, both races had an attempt made to avert first contact using Time Travel . For humans, it was by an enemy attempting to destroy them. For the Vau N'Akat, it was by themselves attempting to prevent their own destruction.)
• Mecha-Mooks : Their standing military consists mainly of robots. The two types seen so far are "Watchers", scorpion-like drones which serve as sentries and guards, and "Drednoks", which are intelligent Do-Anything Starfish Robots used as soldiers and special operatives.
• Meaningful Name : "Solum", the name of their homeworld, has two (unrelated) meanings in Latin. One is "ground" or "soil" (meaning that, just like humanity, their homeworld is essentially called "Earth"). The other is "alone", or "isolated". The Vau N'Akat believed they were alone in the universe until the Federation made contact — and many of their people wanted to stay that way, which led to an apocalyptic civil war.
• Not-So-Well-Intentioned Extremist : Those that survived the civil war want to destroy the entire Federation to prevent their Bad Future , eschewing more rational attempts at communication, because they also want revenge against the Federation for not helping when the civil war broke out.
• Psychic Block Defense : They're naturally resistant to telepathy, though not completely immune.
• Telepathy : Though they evidently can't read the minds of other species, they are able to mentally communicate with one-another, though they usually don't.
• Rubber-Forehead Aliens : Humanoids with a pale complexion and some other alien features.
• Unreliable Narrator : Just about everything we know about them comes from the Diviner and the Vindicator, a zealous xenophobe with a rose-colored view of his species' glory days and an even more zealous member willing to murder one the few survivors for turning against the plan respectively.

• All Genes Are Codominant : They are able to steal organs from every other sentient race for transplant with no risk of rejection, a feat which even current Federation medical science cannot replicate. Despite this, they seem unable to actually cure the phage to begin with.
• Asshole Victim : Their first appearance was stealing Neelix's lungs, something not even he deserved, and Janeway only let them go after warning if they attacked Voyager in the future, she would shoot first and ask questions never. Their later appearances involved killing Mauve Shirt and wearing his face, performing live experimentation on B'Elanna, and being entirely too excited to learn they had a new mother and newborn baby within their grasp. Suffice to say fans have very little sympathy for any Vidiian not named Danara Pel.
• Conditioned to Accept Horror : The Phage has ravaged their culture's morals as well as their bodies, since the increasingly-extreme measures they constantly undertake to survive having the flesh melt off their bones day by day has ground away at them.
• Deadly Doctor : Vidiians wield a surgical instrument as a weapon. It acts as a combination phaser, medical tricorder, and transporter tag.
• Driven to Villainy : The Vidiians are driven to their organ raids out of extreme desperation; before the Phage struck, they were a peaceful and cultured race of scientists.
• Facial Horror : The current crop no longer even remotely resemble their original selves.
• Meaningful Name : The name for the disease comes from Greek φᾰγεῖν phagein, which means "to eat." The organs of people suffering from the Phage literally devour themselves.
• Misapplied Phlebotinum : The Vidiians are able to split hybrid humanoids into fully functional beings. Doing so, they should be able to create as many organs as possible to meet their needs, or cure the Phage.
• Mix-and-Match Man : Their bodies are patchwork of different alien skins — anything they can lay their hands on.
• Organ Theft : Trying to cure the phage has become an obsession with the Vidiians and many of their politicians and scientists have never developed compassion for the people that keep them alive. Scenes of them walking through the ship, gunning redshirts down and cataloguing their organs for later extraction are appalling (with the EMH trying to help a pregnant women proving to be particularly tense).
• Something We Forgot : The Phage was eventually cured by the same alien "Think Tank" which tried to recruit Seven, but Voyager had long since passed Vidiian space by then.
• Vile Villain, Saccharine Show : Their makeup and modus operandi is rather grotesque compared to the rest of the show, even compared to all of the many visually and morally unappealing Rubber-Forehead Aliens that litter the show. In the aptly-titled "Faces", one of the Vidiians steals a goldshirt's face and applies it over his own in an evident attempt to appeal to a romantic partner.
• Weaponized Teleportation : With their hand-held weapons, Vidiian organ harvesters can zap a victim and "beam" organs straight from their bodies.
• Was Once a Man : The Vidiians are introduced as a race of Frankenstein's monsters, composed of a grotesque patchwork of body parts taken from other species, which in turn are deteriorating due to the phage. It's fairly jarring when in a later episode they compile a holographic recreation of what a healthy, uninfected Vidiian would look like: they basically look like humans , without even much Rubber-Forehead Alien going on. Their hairline is a bit taller (sort of a reverse-widow's peak), and they have a slight forehead ridge, a single line extending up from the nose to their hairline, but otherwise, like humans. The contrast lets you see just how badly the phage has ravaged their bodies (compared to if a healthy Vidiian looked like a Klingon or a Ferengi). They make the holographic recreation so they can interact with a comatose female Vidiian doctor (linking her brain to the holo-projectors). Even though her brain will die if it stays hooked up to the holo-projectors for more than a few weeks, for a time she seriously considers that living for a few weeks as a healthy person would be preferable to a long life trapped in her decaying, patchwork body. She also apologizes that the Vidiians were driven to their organ-snatching by utter desperation, until after a while many of them just stopped caring where they got the parts from.

• "Ass" in Ambassador : They have the half-placating, half-goading attitude of somebody who's very close to royalty. Also, they're immune to almost all forms of poison, a trait the Founders implemented into their "recipe." One can only speculate how many Vorta were bumped off before they got the hint.
• Bandwagon Technique : One of the arguments they use when trying to persuade people over to the dark side- I mean, the Dominion.
• Because You Were Nice to Me : The Vorta believe, perhaps apocryphally, that they previously existed as timid, ape-like aliens living in hollowed-out trees. Legend has it that one day, a family of Vorta hid a Changeling from an angry mob of "solids" that were pursuing it. In return, the Changeling promised that one day they would be transformed into powerful beings and placed at the head of a vast interstellar empire; the Founders kept their word by gene-sequencing the Vorta into humanoids (at the cost of dampening their senses, such as sight and smell) to be employed as their tools of conquest.
• Blessed with Suck : Vorta only have a ridiculously limited sense of taste, a feature installed in their genes to remind them of their humble origins. They generally have no appreciation for art. Combine that with an intrinsic belief in the Founders as gods, bad eyesight, and zero sex life, and the Vorta might have been happier as monkeys.
• Brain Uploading : The Changelings succeeded in being able to clone people with everything intact, including memory. Bradley Thompson ( DS9 writer and co-producer on Battlestar Galactaca ') hypothesized, "...they download their memories every so often into some kind of 'brain jar.' It's just like backing up a computer program. You still have what you had the previous time you backed it up. But if you had a bad disk or something like that, it's going to be a corrupted copy."
• Vorta clothing always features a flashy Arabian pattern on the robe or undershirt, again piggybacking on the Jihadist undertones of the Founders.
• Cloning Gambit : Each Vorta has several clones on standby at all times, all of whom share their predecessor's memories. The main Vorta of the series, Weyoun, was actually the fourth one when he first appeared. He was on his eighth life when the base holding his clones was destroyed, and was finally Out of Continues when Garak shot him in the finale.
• Compulsive Liar : A common characteristic. While it does catch people off guard, anyone who has dealt with the Vorta more than once quickly learns not to trust them. On a number of occasions, this lack of trustworthiness seems bafflingly detrimental, notably in "The Ship", but when you consider who they work for ...
• Cyanide Pill : The termination implant; they are supposed to activate it immediately upon capture, but not all do. Apparently the Founders made them a little too devious.
• "You know Captain, if I'd had just two more vials of White, you never would have had a chance." – a Vorta's gratitude.
• Dr. Feelgood : A Vorta and his ever-present drug suitcase. In addition to organizing troops and waiting on the Founders, a Vorta's main job is distributing ketracel-white — the drug which ensures the loyalty of the Jem'Hadar — to his assigned unit. Not the safest job in the universe.
• Evil Counterpart Race : A species of pointy-eared, conflict-averse diplomats and academics like the Vulcans, but with their Manipulative Bastard tendencies and cultural superiority complex dialed up signficantly.
• Expendable Clone : Part of the Vorta's schtick was that they were grown as clones and had the memories of their identical predecessor imprinted on them. Their Changeling bosses are not above killing them en masse just to motivate the next Vorta in line to work a little harder.
• Face of an Angel, Mind of a Demon : It's been observed how the ugly aliens in Star Trek are always the evil ones, whereas the humanoid aliens are treated more sympathetically. The Xindi-Reptilians are the most aggressive faction on ENT, for example, whereas the Xindi-Primates are more cautious. Now look at what DS9 did so well when presenting its antagonists. When the viewer first meets the Jem'Hadar and the Vorta, the audience's sympathy lies with the Vorta because it looks more humanoid and helpless. As the show goes on, however, the viewer realizes that the Jem'Hadar are actually more capable of honor and a degree of empathy than the Vorta are.
• Fanservice with a Smile : In "The Ship", Kilana kept calling time-outs in the midst of battle to offer refreshments to Sisko's twitchy crew.
• Fashionable Asymmetry : The standard attire for men and women, usually a tunic or jacket with a crooked collar and missing sleeve. Weyoun wears a sort of two-toned, double-breasted jacket: The right half is solid (brown or blue leather, for that extra touch of sleaze), while the left half is sleeveless and made from cloth.
• Faux Affably Evil : Vorta are jerks and relish the suffering of races who defied Dominion rule. The big smile is just a pretense. Weyoun: This is a momentous day. You and I have just taken the first step towards insuring peace between our peoples. ( smash cut to Captain's Office) Sisko: They're going to attack. [...] The moment I said we were not going to remove the mine we both knew there'd be war. Everything else was just words, a feeble attempt to lull the other into a false sense of security.
• Food as Bribe : For some reason, when latinum and flattery doesn't work, Vorta resort to using cuisine as a bargaining tactic.
• Flaunting Your Fleets : A lone Vorta is no threat at all, but can very well have a swarm of Jem'Hadar ships and ground units at their disposal.
• General Failure : Despite being accorded positions of authority in the Dominion, their aptitude for military matters is practically non-existent. The strict hierarchy of the Dominion states that a Jem'Hadar can't question the orders of any Vorta, even if they're clearly wrongheaded or cruel (such as the Vorta abandoning his entire unit to save himself). Pop quiz: Which of the two races are bred for war , and which is a colorblind wimp who won't even touch a phaser?
• Goggles Do Something Unusual : The Jem'Hadar don't include viewscreens on their ships: rather they use a headseat eyepiece (picture an alien buying his Google glasses in installments…) that allows them to observe what's going on outside the hull. There are two headsets allotted to each ship: One for the Vorta, and another for his Jem'Hadar "First." Cardassians and Bajorans are able to use them with ease, but the headsets can cause splitting headaches for humans after a while. Garak : It's like having a viewscreen inside your brain.
• Happiness in Slavery : Exemplified when Odo tells a Weyoun that Vorta and Jem'Hadar only view Changelings as gods because they're programmed to. Weyoun's response? "Of course. That's what gods do ."
• Henchmen Race : They exist for no other reason than to the serve the whole, but unlike the Borg, it's a one-way street. The chain of authority doesn't care for their input. The same goes for the Jem'Hadar.
• Manchild : When they're not being devious, they can come across as curious and easily excited about new things, which complements their youthful appearance.
• Mouth of Sauron : Every Vorta takes directions from one of the shadowy Founders, then relays them to those further down the chain. Chatting with a Vorta is the closest most people will ever get to meeting the Founders.
• The Napoleon : Vorta have cooler heads than the Andorians, but on the demerit side, they tend to be arrogant and petty, without a sense of honour. The tallest one we see is Yelgrun, played by Iggy Pop (admittedly something of a invoked miscasting according to Word of God). In general, they come across as Hobbits IN SPACE : they look affable, with their youthful appearances and piercing blue-white eyes, but just underneath the surface lie generous helpings of cruelty and deceptiveness.
• The Neidermeyer : Vorta are particularly callous and cruel toward their soldiers. Sometimes the Jem'Hadar get fed up and vaporize them, but more often they keep a stiff upper lip and take it. Sisko: I was on a mission with the Jem'Hadar once—before the war, of course. They were good. Tough, professional. It was an honour to serve with them. But their Vorta, (grimaces at the memory) ...he was something different.
• An Offer You Can't Refuse : The baseline bargaining tactic for enrolling new planets into the Dominion. Robert Hewitt Wolfe put it succinctly: "Hey, you're nice people, here's some M-16s and some popcorn, and whatever else you want baby, alcohol, fire-water? All you have to do is sign this little contract and we'll make you cool.' Then there's the Jem'Hadar. So the Vorta say, 'Oh, you don't want to play ball? Then meet these guys. They're gonna kick your asses."
• Sycophantic Servant : In fact, this trope is the hat of the entire Vorta race. They were genetically altered to regard the Founders of the Dominion as living gods. They are well aware of this, and take it in stride. After all, doesn't the Bible say that God created man to serve Him? Weyoun: What's the point of being a god if there's no one to worship you?
• They Killed Kenny : If one Vorta gets killed, the Founders usually just clone him or her again.
• Trademark Favorite Food : They enjoy kava nuts and rippleberries, as they did before they were genetically engineered, but little else.
• Transhuman : They were, supposedly, uplifted from ape-like beings into what they are now by the Changelings. The other main Dominion race, the Jem'Hadar, are also genetically tailored by the Changelings into loyal super-soldiers; it's possible they originated from a more pacifist race.
• Undying Loyalty : The Vorta will do anything — even die — for the sake of the Founders.
• You Are Number 6 : How else do you keep count? Damar: Clones. Keeping track of 'em's a full-time job.
• Younger Than They Look : Many Vorta, being clones, are younger than they look. Consider Weyoun, who has a propensity for getting killed (often). Many of the Weyoun clones are merely months or even weeks old when we meet them, and some have lifespans shorter than a year.

Homeworld: Vulcan (or Ni'Var) The original Space Elves , and Trek 's most iconic alien race, famous for their strict adherence to logic and reason. They were the first extraterrestrial species to make First Contact with Humans. They offered huge assistance to a devastated post-World War III Earth, enabling the elimination of world poverty, disease and crime. Nevertheless, many humans still cannot bear their pointy ears ; their arrogance; their freezer-temperature sex drives (Vulcans get freaky approximately once every seven years). Vulcans appear in all seven Trek series, four of which feature a Vulcan or a half-Vulcan as a crewmember.

• After the End : Like humans, the Vulcans were once a warlike species who decimated their planet with nuclear weapons before becoming enlightened.
• Alien Blood : Green, on account of being copper based. It's also a lot chillier than human blood, according to McCoy .
• Alien Non-Interference Clause : They left pre-warp planets alone before the Federation established the Prime Directive.
• Antiquated Linguistics : The non-Spock Vulcans seen in the original series speak in somewhat archaic forms; Sarek introducing Amanda as "she who is my wife", while T'Pau goes all the way up to "thees" and "thous". Later depictions walk back on this, with Vulcans just speaking in more formal language, though Sarek still introduces his wives the same way.
• Arranged Marriage : Vulcan marriages are determined at birth. If, for whatever reason, the female does not want to go through with the marriage, then the ceremony of koon-ut-kal-if-fee ("marriage or challenge") is invoked: The male fights for the right to keep his mate against a challenger of her choosing. This is a Duel to the Death .
• The Atoner : They were once a Proud Warrior Race that was probably even fiercer then Klingons or humans . Horror at the results of this made them turn to the teachings of Surak and follow the rather painful creed of the time of the show to control their violent emotions. And Romulans are Vulcans who did not follow Surak. Although they are not as aggressive as their ancestors, either, they are a warlike, militaristic society.
• Bad Samaritan : Vulcans were concerned that we could either be powerful allies or end up like the Klingons. They banked on the latter, and sat back and watched as Florida was obliterated.
• Badass Bookworm : A Vulcan's idea of a wild night is thirteen hours of meditation followed by a seaweed TV dinner. You could probably take one of these weenies in a fight... right? Sisko : I, uh, ended up in the Infirmary with a separated shoulder, two cracked ribs and a very bruised ego. Kassidy : HAHAHAHAHA
• Beware the Quiet Ones : The Vulcans may at times seem like the nerds of the Federation, but they will be violent and ruthless if it's the logical thing to do. Star Trek: Discovery revealed that Vulcan's early contacts with the Klingons often involved immediately opening fire since logic dictated that was the only way to win the Klingons' respect.
• Bizarre Alien Biology : A Vulcan's heart is located on the right side of the torso, in between the ribs and pelvis. Dr. McCoy : He's lucky that his heart is where his liver should be, or he'd be dead!
• The Vulcans are always the heavies in Star Trek: Enterprise , hiding behind religious piety while secretly harboring deep-seated racist and totalitarian beliefs. Indeed, their temple on P'Jem, the most sacred of Vulcan monasteries, is where their covert surveillance apparatus is stashed. In "Twilight" (which took place in an apocalyptic future), T'Pol speculates that her government deliberately withheld technology from Earth for 100 years to leave them utterly dependent on Vulcan and unable to defend themselves. When coupled with the Vulcans' treatment of other races (including half-breeds), this paints them in an especially negative light, much like the Visitors of V who pretended to offer friendship to humans while secretly pursuing their own agenda. This was a sticking point with some fans.
• Yet another invoked Author's Saving Throw was hatched by producer Manny Coto to explain why 23rd century Vulcans are so dramatically different, revealing that the Head of Vulcan High Command, V'Las, had actually be conspiring with the Romulans to reunite their people. Romulans being Romulans, this entailed stirring up trouble and souring relations between Vulancs and other races. Furthermore, the aborted Season Five was planned to cover the Earth-Romulan War, possibly leading into an Enemy Mine scenario that would've worked well to smooth over Vulcan's rocky relationships with other races.
• Character Tics : The Vulcan salute, usually accompanied with the phrases "Live long and prosper" and "Peace and long life." Nimoy based it on a Jewish blessing representing the Hebrew letter Shin (ש).
• Church Militant : The Syrannites are this for Vulcans. Subverted as it's revealed that instead of the radical terrorists they're portrayed as by the Vulcan High Command, they're actually be a peaceful movement who desire to return the Vulcans back to the original teachings of Surak. And they succeed.
• The Complainer Is Always Wrong : The Vulcan Science Academy spent much of Enterprise dubbing things like time-travel "impossible." This is despite the fact that their first rule of metaphysics is "nothing unreal exists."
• Cultural Rebel : The V'tosh ka'tur is a small group of Vulcans who embrace both emotions and logic.
• Death World : Vulcans are a pretty tough bunch, but given Vulcan itself, that might not be much of a surprise. The planet largely consists of deserts filled with giant bear-like creatures, the weather is volatile, the oxygen is pretty thin, and there's a good deal of active volcanoes around.
• Depending on the Writer : Much like the Time Lords in Doctor Who , the attitude of Vulcans can vary wildly. In the 23rd century, the Vulcans whom Kirk encounters are stuffy bureaucratic types, barring "Amok Time" which examines the contradictory nature of the Vulcan psyche. A few are mildly antagonistic. In Star Trek VI , Valeris conspired to kill the Klingon Chancellor and the Federation President —a twist which spawned multiple " Fix Fic " novels explaining how Valeris hadn't been 'trained' properly—without the knowledge of the Vulcan High Command. At their worst, the Vulcans in DS9 and VOY are at best condescending jerks.
• Duel to the Death : Oddly all duels we have seen never resulted in a death, guess they didn't feel like changing the name.
• E.T. Gave Us Wi-Fi : The ENT episode "Carbon Creek" implies that Velcro was given to us by stranded Vulcans.
• Fantastic Race Weapon Affinity : Vulcans prefer the lirpa as a weapon during ceremonial combat. It's a staff with a fan-shaped blade on one end and a hefty counter-weight on the other, good for slashing or bludgeoning enemies.
• Fantastic Racism : Despite their devotion to logic and being one of the founding members of the Federation, this, surprisingly, is not uncommon on their approach towards a foreign species, especially Humans. This perhaps comes to show that Vulcans, while intellectually prominent, are not by any means flawless. Now, to be fair, Vulcans, like any other race, can be on the receiving end of this as well. Slurs like "pointy," "pointy-eared" or "green-blooded" have been used to refer to them. Some don't like the Vulcans merely because they find some of them to be uncompromising and stubborn at times and thus assume all Vulcans are like that.
• Feel No Pain : Vulcans are substantially more resilient to anything that harms or afflicts humans and other humanoids. In "Kir'Shara", Soval says this is because their mental disciplines allow them to suppress pain.
• Fluffy Tamer : Vulcans keep sehlats as pets. Sehlats are large mammals which Spock's mother refers to as "a fat teddy-bear with teeth." It looks like the combination of a bear and a set of knives. They might not actually be fully domesticated, given T'Pol's comments on how Vulcan children are never late with their sehlat's dinner.
• Good Is Impotent : Zig-zagged. The Romulans, having embraced war and avarice, also lost the ability to pull off mind melds or nerve pinches. On the other hand however, the Romulans don't appear to be susceptible to severe emotional disorders to the same degree as Vulcans, and have not been evidenced experiencing anything like pon farr . More pressingly, the Romulans despite starting with a smaller population are clearly far more powerful in terms of sheer military might than the Vulcans, being able to convincingly oppose the Federation, which is basically the Vulcans plus a hundred other weak species.
• Hates Being Touched : Justified due to their telepathic abilities. And since the palm is the focal point of mind melds, it's rare for a Vulcan to even shake your hand.
• Hate Plague : Bendii Syndrome, a condition that can afflict Vulcans over the age of two hundred, causing their telepathy to start broadcasting their repressed emotions outward, while at the same time they lose control of the ones that stay put. And at two hundred years old, that's a lot of repressed emotions. There Is No Cure , either.
• Heavyworlder : Due to evolving on a harsh desert heavy-gravity world, Vulcans have about three times normal human strength and, combined with their high degree of mental control over their bodies, can withstand a number of environmental hazards much better than humans can.
• Hive Mind : TOS implied on two occasions that Vulcans have some form of low-key connection to each other. First, when a ship crewed entirely by Vulcans is destroyed and Spock senses their death, and second when Spock is sent back in time before the race adopted Surak's teachings and began to behave as the savage Vulcans of the time did.
• Insufferable Genius : Do not argue with a Vulcan. You will lose. Quark however, managed to successfully out-logic a Vulcan by applying a capitalist variation of game theory to conflict resolution, which goes to show that it is possible.
• Kryptonite Factor : Long-term exposure to trellium-D not only strips them of emotional control, it's turned them into mindlessly-violent shamblers.
• Kung-Fu Jesus : Vulcan's answer to Jesus and Moses, a wise man named Surak, saved the species by devising a new philosophy based on logic. Surak concluded that the root of the problems on Vulcan lay in the uncontrolled outpouring of its peoples' emotions. Although this new ideology spread rapidly across Vulcan, a minority known as "those who march beneath the Raptor's wings" rejected Surak's message. A destructive war began including the use of atomic bombs, and among the victims was Surak himself.
• Laser-Guided Karma : The Vulcans refuse to lend Humanity any aid during the Xindi Incident, even though the Earth is facing certain destruction should the Xindi attack again. With the loss of Earth, human civilization would be pushed back a few centuries, thereby keeping us off the galactic stage and out of the Vulcans' hair. The destruction of Vulcan in the new Kelvin Timeline of Star Trek (2009) could be considered severe karmic payback for this.
• Living Memory : Some Vulcans can "cheat death" by implanting their katra — essentially their memory — into another person via mind-meld ( "Rememberrrr..." ). Dr. Bashir in the episode "The Passenger" explains this away as " synaptic pattern displacement ."
• Long-Lived : There are instances of them living over two hundred and twenty years. Spock is 157 when he goes back in time and ends up trapped in an Alternate Reality TOS-Era. note  Having died in 2263 in Star Trek Beyond , his final age was approximately 162. Some have speculated his half-Human genealogy may have shortened his Vulcan lifespan.
• Mate or Die : Every seven years, Vulcan males and females experience an overpowering mating drive known as pon farr , often focused on a single object of desire (or a holographic facsimile thereof). Once triggered, Vulcans must have sexual contact with someone , or else face insanity and death. If a mate is not available, there are other ways to relieve the effects of the pon farr . The first is meditation; The second is violence. This is seen in the Voyager episode "Blood Fever", when B'Elanna Torres and Ensign Vorik fight in the traditional Vulcan manner. The violence ends the pon farr. The other option is extreme shock; in the TOS episode "Amok Time", Spock believed he had killed James T. Kirk, his "best friend," thus providing sufficient shock to nullify the effects of pon farr.
• The Vulcan Mind Meld has some limited aspects of a Mental Fusion , most notably that the exchange of thoughts through the psychic connection defaults to being two-way unless the Vulcan is adept enough to maintain full control over the meld.
• Few can handle the high-grade emotions of a Vulcan getting beamed directly into their skull. Vulcans respect this, and usually don't perform melds on an unwilling victim. Usually.
• Somebody as logic-bound as Tuvok needs a reasonable motive for Lon Suder's (a psychopath) crime. It highlights his lack of understanding of emotional behavior in that he does not consider 'I didn't like the way he looked at me' as a good enough reason. He wants to mind meld with Suder because he thinks that it will give the killer some peace in his mind, and Tuvok will gain some valuable insight on how to prevent crimes on the ship. What he fails to realize is it's a trade off: If Suder gains some of Tuvok's inner peace then of course Tuvok will be infected by Suder's inner turmoil.
• My Skull Runneth Over : Picard's decision to perform a mind meld with Sarek to conceal the Vulcan's growing senility. It's probably the riskiest thing we ever see him do. If it goes wrong there is every possibility that he could be afflicted by the same mental illness. He admits to feelings of apprehension about the process but even he couldn't predict the outpouring of such a forceful regrets and feelings that would nuke his mind. It's uncomfortable to watch and reveals many of Sarek's inner demons to the audience. Picard nearly has a stroke from the wild flux of emotions: sinister, giddy, sleazy, and bitter all in the span of a minute or two. He had to endure that for hours. Patrick Stewart got a migraine from filming this scene.
• Named After Their Planet : The planet Vulcan, although it was later re-named Ni'Var.
• Neat Freak : Vulcans do not like to touch their food with their hands, preferring to use utensils whenever possible. Even if it's a breadstick.
• Nerves of Steel : Vulcans are chill dudes. According to McCoy , Spock (and presumably all Vulcans) have almost no blood pressure. With an average body temperature of 91°F, they don't even need to sweat . ("That green ice water you call blood!")
• The Nose Knows : According to Enterprise , Vulcan noses are particularly sensitive, which makes things difficult being around all those smelly humans, to the extent they have to take nasal numbing agents just to get through the day.
• No Sense of Humor : Vulcans are renowned for this, although many of them are Deadpan Snarkers instead. They would arguably be the most deadpan of snarkers, ever.
• Not So Stoic : Even though Vulcans pride themselves on being The Stoic via Emotion Suppression , there are times when sufficient stimuli (such as a powerfully traumatic event, or the onset of the pon farr ) can break a Vulcan's self-control.
• Out of Focus : They rarely appear in Star Trek: The Next Generation . This was a deliberate choice by Gene Roddenberry to differentiate TNG from The Original Series . They don't appear much in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine either.
• The Paralyzer : Vulcan Nerve Pinch. This is not a canonical name for the attack, but the writers on VOY finally caved and had Tom refer to it by that name. This move is not, in fact, exclusive to Vulcans only: at least one non-Vulcan character per show has mastered it, usually the replacement Spock (Data, Odo, Seven of Nine). Picard also acquired the ability after mind-melding with Sarek.
• Vulcans need to keep their emotions in check, or else they risk turning into raving lunatics.
• To the extent that a Vulcan can be driven utterly insane by the horrors of war , become a deranged serial killer, yet never once give up the sincere belief that what they are doing is complete and utterly logical ( DS9 : "Field of Fire").
• Perfectly Arranged Marriage : Vulcan marriages are arranged at birth and, for the most part, tend to have quite happy marriages, although they will break off the marriage if it isn't.
• Please Select New City Name : Following the Vulcan-Romulan re-unification, the planet Vulcan was renamed Ni'Var, which means "two form" (in reference to the two cultures now sharing the planet).
• Rage Breaking Point : Vulcans have to live with this trope, due to their culture of logic over emotion. They spend years training to keep them in check, but when anything breaks that control down, Vulcans can become as violent as their ancestors were.
• Realpolitik : As one might expect, Vulcan foreign policy tends to lean toward ruthless pragmatism, particularly back in the early 22nd century when they were under a military government. Syrran : Vulcans do not lie. Archer : I've dealt with the High Command. Vulcans can lie and cheat with the best of them.
• Repression Never Ends Well : A double-edged sword. For Vulcans, repressing their emotions is necessary because the alternative has been demonstrably proven as so much worse. Problem is, when difficulties with that repression arise, Vulcans get reluctant to talk about to outsiders out of embarrassment (a very emotional reaction) and try to repress it further, often leaving them ill-equipped to deal with it when "ignore the emotions and hope they go away" isn't an option.
• Screw You, Elves! : The only loveable Vulcans in Star Trek are the ones already affiliated with Starfleet or other organizations within the Federation, and even then they can be pretty rude. Native Vulcans are brusque, speciesist, and rather uncooperative in their relations with other races. They barely mask their low regard for the illogical aliens they begrudgingly work with. Vulcans also discriminate against those who marry outside of the race.
• Single-Biome Planet : Vulcan is almost entirely arid, although Star Trek: Discovery sometimes subverts this by depicting lush vegetation on the surface.
• The Sleepless : Downplayed. They still need sleep, but can go for ten days without it.
• The Smart Guy : Vulcans are the most scholarly among the Alien races, being mathematically and scientifically proficient. The Vulcan Science Academy is the most advanced and prestigious educational and research institute in the Federation.
• The Spock : Trope Namers , makers , and codifiers .
• Spock Speak : Vulcans speak in a low, dull monotone and generally avoid using contractions.
• Stereotype Flip : In the 32nd Century, Vulcans are now insular and suspicious like Romulans, while Romulans have in turn become more open and understanding. Interestingly, the Vulcans, one of the four founding races of the Federation, tended to be the ones more in favor of seceding after The Burn, while their newly reunified Romulan brethern were more in favor.
• Strange Salute : The Vulcan greeting is holding the hand up straight and spreading the fingers out, but keeping the index and middle finger touching, and the same with the ring finger and pinky.
• Sugar-and-Ice Personality : A solid Type 2. Just because they're governed by logic doesn't mean they are a hive mind. A Vulcan can 'reason' themselves all the way into, for example, committing treason ( Star Trek VI ) or running guns for Maquis settlers ( DS9 : "The Maquis"), if it seems logical to do so. Gul Dukat: You believe her? Why? Because Vulcans don't lie? Sisko: As a rule, they don't. Gul Dukat: They don't blow up ships, either , "as a rule."
• Super-Strength : Vulcans are about three times as strong as an average human, owing to Vulcan's higher gravity — although a phaser blast will still take one down easily.
• The Teetotaler : For obvious reasons, Vulcans are said not to drink alcohol, although they are depicted indulging for ceremonial rituals or when the storyline warrants. In the Star Trek: Voyager episode "Repression", Humans and Vulcans are shown drinking a Vulcan alcoholic drink called "Vulcan Brandy." A Vulcan's constitution is probably immune to our comparatively weak alcohol. Spock : My father's race was spared the dubious benefits of alcohol. McCoy : Now I know why they were conquered.
• Telepathy : Although they are most often shown using Touch Telepathy , Vulcans have demonstrated other forms of telepathy, even Mind Control , on occasion.
• Took a Level in Jerkass : In the prequel series Enterprise , the Vulcans are presented as quasi-antagonists for the first three seasons, foiling Earth's attempts to explore the Quadrant. Season Four revealed a militaristic sect had taken over and was colluding with Romulus to conquer Vulcan.
• Touch Telepathy : The famous Vulcan Mind Meld, which is so well known in popular culture that the term is often used to describe Touch Telepathy generally. Some Vulcans with very advanced skill can use telepathy without touch, but this often requires great effort or that the target also be telepathic.
• Tranquil Fury : Contrary to what one might assume from their stoic personalities, Vulcans are a race that are constantly reigning in their passions. It was those passions that led to a devastating global war, and it is those same passions they chose to restrain in the pursuit of logic and reason. In Voyager , when Tuvok confronts a telepathic criminal who essentially sells negative emotions like drugs, he gives him a taste of just how extremely and utterly bloody pissed a Vulcan can be when the criminal attempts to force a mind-meld, essentially causing the foul villain to overdose on Tuvok's rage . And then, of course, there is pon farr .
• Unusual Ears : The distinct Pointy Ears of Vulcans are often lampshaded by bob-earred humans. Soval: What is their fixation with our ears? T'Pol: I believe they are envious.
• One of the early TOS novels postulated that Vulcans were vegetarians partly because the herbivores previously used as meat died off during Surak's time.
• The most common reason given for their vegetarianism is the same one that led them to pacifism. They are such a violent and destructive race that they have to go to extreme lengths to not destroy themselves/conquer the universe/destroy the universe. This includes eating spinach, rather than sating their bloodlust with meat.
• However, it's mentioned that the Rite of Ta'loth involves young Vulcans being sent into the desert armed only with a ritual blade, implying that when push comes to shove, they will eat meat in order to survive. Unless these deserts are commonly populated with aforementioned Man-Eating Plant , of course.
• Will Not Tell a Lie : Vulcans have a reputation for being truthful, both in and out of universe, but this is rarely the case. It's more that they won't lie unnecessarily ; if they do find it necessary to do so they are perfectly capable of doing so, and are quite good at it , even when not employing Double Speak and half truths . *The Wrath of Khan* Saavik: ( raises eyebrow ) You lied. Spock: I exaggerated . *The Undiscovered Country* Spock: A lie? Valeris: A choice.
• Calvinball : Learn as you go games where the tasks seem to be generated at random and require the player to intuit what's going on, if they can.
• First Contact : Not exactly Starfleet's most triumphant example. The Wadi delegation immediately heads to Quark's and spends several hours there cleaning him out, before trapping much of the station's command crew in one of their games. When confronted about putting several people through emotional turmoil, they laugh it off and leave.
• Human Aliens : Much less rubber forehead-y than any of the Gamma cultures that would follow, looking like humans with markings on their heads.
• Planet of Hats : An entire society of gamers.
• Poor Communication Kills : Wadi apparently don't feel the need to explain to people that despite appearances their games are not actually fatal; on losing players get transported back out.
• Troll : Trapping people in games they don't understand. While the games aren't fatal, they never give anyone a head's up, much less ask if they want to play the games. Lower Decks suggests they're still at it several years after the Dominion War. By this point, Starfleet's reaction seems to be annoyance. Boimler: You're always trapping people in games! Stop trapping people in games!

• Art Evolution : The Xindi-Insectoids returned in the Star Trek: Discovery episode "...But to Connect." Their depiction is much more humanoid while having distinct insectoid features.
• There are six Xindi races, all of which evolved on the same planet, which are stated to be "about as genetically different as humans and Neanderthals". Two of the races are a human-like one and a humanoid sloth-like race. Primates and sloths are loosely related in that they are both mammals. The next is an aquatic dolphin/seal-like race. Okay, maybe an aquatic ape adapted to living in the sea. The Xindi-Avians went extinct in the war that destroyed their homeworld so we never got to see one (a giraffe skull was used to represent their skull). But... the Xindi-Reptilians are blatantly lizard-men, yet are still "about as different from the Xindi-Humanoids and Xindi-Arboreals (sloths) as humans and Neanderthals". The Xindi-Insectoids are, further, vaguely humanoid insects. Vertebrates and arthropods are not that closely related.
• A humanoid-sized insect would be unlikely to be evolutionarily viable, at least on a planet presumed to be roughly equivalent in gravity and atmospheric pressure to Earth. The reason exoskeletons are common among small insects, but rarely seen in organisms larger than a tortoise, is because the Square-Cube Law is not kind to them at larger sizes. Though the Xindi-Insectoids don't get a lot of on-screen action, it is enough to show that they are faster and more durable than they ought to be compared to their endoskeletal cousins.
• Beauty Equals Goodness : More or less. The Primate and Arboreal Xindi (the two closest to humans) are the ones who take Archer's side, while the Reptilians and Insectoids (definitely not human-like) continue the campaign to destroy Earth. The Aquatics come closest to inverting this trope, as they're not humanoid but keep the coolest heads and eventually join Archer.
• The Primates are seen as the most honest and trustworthy Xindi species. It was a Primate scientist who designed the planet-destroying weapons intended for Earth, albeit reluctantly.
• The Aquatics, characterized as being perpetually cool-headed, have by far the largest and most powerful warships in the Xindi fleet.
• Big Creepy-Crawlies : The Insectoids are giant ants.
• Dying Race : Between the loss of their homeworld, their constant in-fighting , and the Negative Space Wedgies slowly consuming the Expanse, they're having a tough time keeping themselves alive. The events of Enterprise resolve the latter problem, at least.
• Earth-Shattering Kaboom : Their century-long civil war ended when the Reptilians and Insectoids, who were losing, set off explosions in Xindus' fault lines that shattered the planet .
• Hot-Blooded : The Reptilians are perpetually grouchy, making even the most bad-tempered Klingon look mellow.
• Kill All Humans : They went through a phase of this during Enterprise 's third season, convinced that humans would one day do the same to them.
• Jerkass : The reptilians, to a man... er, lizard. An old arboreal saying claims that arguing with them is like arguing with the sun - you accomplish nothing and come away burned.
• Made of Iron : Reptillians can shrug off the stun setting of phasers.
• Not-So-Omniscient Council of Bickering : And how . Even when united in wanting to wipe out Humanity, they simply cannot stop arguing. First it was about what methods, form and delivery the attack should take, then after they fixed on the Planet Killer design, they began arguing about when and how it should be deployed. And even after the idea of a bio-weapon was rejected, the Reptilians still pursued it behind the council's back.
• Obstructive Bureaucrat : The Aquatics have this as their Hat . One Primate councilor recalls a minor incident during which it took the Aquatic councilors six days to agree to attend the meeting . He does, however, credit them with being a voice of reason more often than not.
• Planet of Hats : Reptilians, Insectoids, and Aquatics are aggressive, impulsive, and deliberate, respectively.
• Space Nomads : The survivors of their homeworld's destruction wander the Delphic Expanse, occassionally setting up shop on various planets for a time but lacking a true world to call their own.
• Token Evil Teammate : The Reptilians are the most outright aggressive of all the Xindi species, and are typically the ones leading the charge when it comes to attacking humanity. Following them are the Insectoids, who tend to work with the Reptilians (until the Reptilians get so extreme that even the Insectoids have second thoughts ).
• Two-Keyed Lock : Each species has a set of command codes. Three out of five are needed to activate the Weapon.
• The Unintelligible : The Insectoids and the Aquatics don't speak the same language as everyone else. The Insectoids speak in clicks and hisses, and the Aquatics in whale-song like noises (although the Aquatics do learn to speak English via translator).
• Well-Intentioned Extremist : The Xindi were tricked into believing that humanity would wipe them out in a few centuries, hence their attempts to exterminate us.
• What Happened to the Mouse? : As a result of debuting in a series set before all other ones but produced after the bulk of the ones it's a prequel to. They were some of Earth's most prominent enemies from its early days of exploration, and are never heard from again past the 22nd century (outside of the Star Trek Expanded Universe and Star Trek Beyond , anyway). According to Daniels, they do join The Federation at some point prior to the 26th century. The Xindi-Insectoid do finally make a reappearance in season 4 of Star Trek: Discovery and the Xindi-Reptilians make an appearance in Star Trek: Prodigy.
• Why Did It Have to Be Snakes? : Arboreal Xindi don't like water. Reptilians dislike heights.
• Star Trek Species: E to M
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5 Star Trek Actors With Real-Life Children In TV & Movies

Data's lost chapter begins, as star trek's android quits starfleet to kill a god, star trek actors & executive producers react to peabody award.

Warning: SPOILERS for Star Trek: Picard 's Season 1 Finale

Humans can live a very long time in Star Trek 's future, but exactly how long? In Star Trek: Picard , Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) was 94 years old when he succumbed to a fatal brain abnormality and died on the planet Coppelius. However, his mind and personality were placed intact into the golem, a synthetic body , so Jean-Luc was quickly resurrected. But while Picard was certainly in the twilight of his years, he was still quite a ways from reaching the end of the average human lifespan in the 24th century.

In Star Trek 's optimistic future, Earth has been transformed into a near-utopia and this has had a positive effect on the human race and the average person's lifespan. By the 23rd century, humanity had wiped out war, disease, hunger, and the desire for money to instead concentrate on the betterment of the individual and of the entire human race. While there are still wars in Star Trek , they come externally from conflict with alien races; Earth itself is free of violent conflict between humans. Along with advanced medical technology that can cure most diseases and abundant food (both natural and replicated), humans enjoy a virtual paradise on their homeworld and therefore, they can live long, happy, and productive lives. In the Star Trek movies , it wasn't unusual for Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and the crew of the Starship Enterprise to be saving the galaxy in their 60s. In fact, Admiral Jean-Luc Picard was 80 when he quit Starfleet; if he hadn't abruptly retired, Picard likely planned to spend the remainder of his life in service.

Related: Picard's Biggest Changes To Star Trek Continuity

The average human lifespan in Star Trek was approximately 100 years during Star Trek: Enterprise 's 22nd-century era. By Star Trek: The Next Generation 's 24th-century timeframe, the average life expectancy increased to 120 years. Star Trek: Picard is set in 2399, at the dawn of the 25th century, and Jean-Luc mused to Soji (Isa Briones), Dr. Agnes Jurati (Alison Pill), and Dr. Altan Soong (Brent Spiner) that he wouldn't have minded another "ten or twenty" years before his new, synthetic body dies, which would bring the Admiral in line with his era's life expectancy. There are a few cases of humans living even longer than 120 years. In Star Trek 's canon, the oldest living human via a natural lifespan that has been seen is a beloved face: Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (DeForrest Kelley) was 137 years old when he cameoed in the Star Trek: The Next Generation premiere episode, "Encounter at Farpoint."

Of course, there are cases where humans have lived longer than 137 though various means, usually because of strange anomalies encountered in outer space. James T. Kirk was technically 138 years old when he died in Star Trek: Generations , but that's because he unwittingly spent 78 years trapped outside reality within the Nexus, which happened in 2293 when Kirk was 60. Montgomery Scott also found himself in the 24th century when he spent 75 years inside a transporter buffer after an incident involving a Dyson Sphere. When Scotty met the crew of Captain Picard's U.S.S. Enterprise-D , he was technically 147 years old (although physically, he was only half that age).

There's also the strange case of Zephram Cochrane (James Cromwell), who was born in the 2030s, invented warp drive and initiated First Contact with the Vulcans in 2063, but then vanished from the galaxy. In 2267, Kirk, Spock (Leonard Nimoy), and McCoy met Cochrane (Glenn Corbett), who was aged backward into a much younger man by an alien being called the Companion, despite the inventor of warp drive technically being over 230 years old in the TOS episode "Metamorphosis".

Thanks to all of their 24th-century advantages, humans live longer than ever in Star Trek  and they've caught up with the lifespan of the Klingons, who can live over a century (although most Klingons prefer to die in glorious battle and never see old age). Still, humans have a long way to go if their lifespans are ever to match the Vulcans, who can live up to 200 years. But at least human beings in Star Trek have taken the old Vulcan greeting "Live long and prosper" to heart.

Next: Where Every Star Trek Character Is After Picard

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Published Apr 28, 2020

The 7 Strangest Real-Life Species Named After Star Trek Characters

Seek out new life – inspired by names from the Federation and beyond

StarTrek.com | Shutterstock/siro46/friendly.label/Bodor Tivadar

From Ferengi to Flaxian, Vulcan via Vidiian, and Klingon through to Cardassian, Star Trek has beamed the universe’s most memorable species onto screens. However, fans needn’t travel outside the Alpha Quadrant to make first contact with aliens from the show! Well, at least species named after aliens from Star Trek .

Ever since Gene Roddenberry’s seminal sci-fi series blasted off in 1969, scientists across Earth have been naming newly-discovered species after the franchise’s characters and cast. Which animals share names with Star Trek ’s most beloved and why? We’ve energized the etymology behind seven real-life Star Trek species into one handy databank below.

Ledella spocki (named after Mr. Spock)

StarTrek.com

At first, naming a mussel after Leonard Nimoy’s Science Officer may seem highly illogical. However, when tasked to title a newly-discovered mollusk in 2014, Spanish researchers led by Dr. Diniz Viegas opted to pay homage to Spock. The reason? They noted the shape of the mussel's valves resembled the pointed ears of Star Trek ’s most famous human-Vulcan hybrid.

Don’t expect to find one easily, though. There are very few spocki on Earth, with the mollusks only found in Campos Basin, a region off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. However, while small in numbers, there are no signs the species could die out soon. Expect them to live long and prosper for generations to come.

Phanuromyia odo (named after Odo)

Gruesome. Terrifying. Remarkable. However you want to describe Phanuromyia odo , there’s one key thing you should know about these wasps: they lay eggs inside the larvae of other insects, the hatching baby bug eating through its host from the inside out.

But although terrible in nature, these species are perfect in name. After being discovered in 2017, they were labeled Phanuromyia odo , the ‘Odo’ a tribute to the shape-shifting Changeling of the same name from Deep Space Nine (played by René Auberjonois).

Fortunately, the killer wasp can’t morph into a human, pen or chair like its Star Trek namesake, but researchers from Ohio State University marveled at the bug’s “variable morphology” – the huge differences in appearance between each member of the species. In fact, at first scientists thought they had discovered two different parasitoids. The truth: they had just stumbled on one bug with Changeling-like qualities.

Annuntidiogenes worfi (named after Lieutenant Worf)

You get no Federation credits for guessing why this hermit crab fossil ended up being named after Lieutenant Worf (played by Michael Dorn). After noticing the “wrinkled ornament” on its front, Spanish paleontologist Dr. Fraaije couldn’t resist naming the mid-Cretaceous creature after everyone’s favorite Klingon (sorry, Duras).

Sadly, Worfi – a member of the Annuntidiogenes family – is now extinct, having lived 105.3 to 94.3 million years ago. But although gone, it’s certainly not forgotten, the crab now forever part of Star Trek history – and the House of Mogh.

Agra dax (named after Jadzia Dax)

Holding degrees in exoarchaeology, exobiology and zoology, we think Deep Space Nine ’s Jadzia Dax would be proud to share a name with this ground beetle. Why? American entomologist Professor Terry Erwin – the so-called ‘beetle’ man who has written over 270 papers, books, and monographs on insects – has declared the Agra dax to be his favorite bug of all time. In fact, his car even sports a personalized license plate reading ‘AGRA DAX’.

Erwin – who named the species himself – says the beetle’s beauty mirrors that of Dax actress Terry Farrell. Although not exactly attractive by human standards – the bug is metallic green with black antennal segments – insect specialists worldwide regard it as one of the most striking beetles in the universe.

Conus tribblei (named after The Original Series’ Tribbles)

The real trouble with Conus tribblei : it’s venomous. And predatory – anyone handling these small sea snails are advised to take great care not to be stung by the Asian mollusks.

In fact, these shelled creatures are so dangerous you’re probably asking why they’re named after Tribbles, the adorable cuddly aliens that swarmed the U.S.S. Enterprise in the show’s original run. The answer lies with Dr. Jerry Walls, one of the researchers who first discovered the species in 1977. Following the tradition of scientists naming mollusks after their cats, Walls christened the snails after his fluffy feline Tribbles, called so after the hairy Star Trek aliens.

Once fully explained, it’s a name few Star Trek fans would find ‘tribble’ with.

The ‘Klingon Newt’

Although you’d want to avoid comparing a Klingon to a six-to-seven-centimeter-long newt to their face, the World Wildlife Fund named one such animal after the proud race of warriors in 2015. Discovered in Thailand in 2015, the Tylototriton anguliceps amphibian is distinguished by its ridged head, leading scientists to dub it the ‘Klingon Newt’.

But while resembling the most fearsome fighters in the Beta Quadrant, the new newts lack the numbers of the Klingon empire. These species are under real threat of extinction due to pesticide use and deforestation, according to their discoverer, Dr. Porrawee Pomchote. However, despite the challenges ahead, Pomchote is confident the species will live to fight another day, with numbers rising in national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.

Meenoplus roddenberryi (named after Gene Roddenberry)

This creature hailing from the Canary Islands is named after, of course, Gene Roddenberry. But at first it might not be clear why: the tiny pale-brown cave-dwelling insect appears to have little in common with the visionary creator of the Star Trek franchise.

However, there is meaning behind the moniker. As the scientist who discovered the bug, Professor Hannelore Hoch from Germany’s Museum für Naturkunde, the Enterprise ’s mission to explore strange new worlds, seek out new life and to boldly go where no man has gone before “applies as much to space as it does to biospeleology”.

In the paper outlining her discovery, Hoch adds: “Roddenberry was fascinated by the exploration of the unknown, and we are sure he would be delighted about the discovery of this new life form.”

So would we, Hoch. So would we.

Thomas Ling (he/him) is a senior writer for the UK’s Radio Times magazine. Thomas specializes in sci-fi features. You can find him on Twitter @ThomasaLing

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The Top 57 Episodes of ‘Star Trek,’ Ranked From Great to Perfect

First, let’s be clear: Ranking the best “Star Trek” episodes is a silly thing to do. To date, the longest-running American TV franchise has aired a gargantuan 890 episodes and counting, starting with the original series in 1966. Since then, at least one “Star Trek” TV show has aired (or streamed) every decade, totaling 11 so far (with more on the way ). Choosing the best episodes within such a boundless, occasionally contradictory storytelling galaxy seems about as wise as cheating when playing poker with a Klingon.

On the other hand, there may be no more time-honored tradition among “Star Trek” fans than a vigorous debate over what constitutes the best of the franchise. (Best series ? Best captains ? Best starships ? Best aliens ? Best uniforms ? They’ve all been ranked multiple times !)

In that spirit — and to commemorate the 57th anniversary of “Star Trek” on Sept. 8 —  Variety ’s resident “Trek” geeks have ranked the top 57 episodes of all time, across the franchise.

Creating our list required some deep-dish nerdiness in its own right: We compiled a long list of episodes from each series that we felt deserved to be on the final ranking. Then we created our own individual rankings — and promptly realized our taste was quite divergent. To reconcile our lists, we adopted the approach of the great movie ranking podcast, Screen Drafts : We took alternating turns placing a pick from 57 to 1, and we each had two opportunities to veto the other’s pick (which in every case was to ensure it was placed higher on the list).

Other than the short-lived “Star Trek: The Animated Series” (1973-1974), this list reflects every other iteration of “Trek” on TV: “Star Trek: The Original Series” (1966-1969); “Star Trek: The Next Generation” (1987-1994); “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” (1993-1999); “Star Trek: Voyager” (1995-2001); “Star Trek: Enterprise” (2001-2005); “Star Trek: Discovery” (2017-2024); “Star Trek: Picard” (2020-2023); “Star Trek: Prodigy” (2021-2022); and the ongoing “Star Trek: Lower Decks” (2020-present) and “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” (2022-present).

The Way to Eden

“The Original Series” — Season 3, Episode 20

Look, this episode gets a lot of hate. But the fact is “TOS” is known (by today’s standards) for being very campy, and there is no episode campier than this one. A group of space hippies board the Enterprise on their journey to a mythical planet called Eden, where they can live happily forever. The episode memorably features Charles Napier (who would go on to a long career playing tough guys, villains, cops and the like) breaking out into song a bunch of times, including a jam session with Spock (Leonard Nimoy). —Joe Otterson Original airdate: Feb. 21, 1969

Terra Prime

“Enterprise” — Season 4, Episode 21 More than any other episode of “Enterprise,” “Terra Prime” made the most of the show’s mission to dramatize the beginnings of Starfleet, 100 years before the events of “TOS.” Just as a newfound coalition of planets begins to form on Earth (a precursor to the Federation), Captain Archer (Scott Bakula) and his crew must stop a xenophobic terrorist (played to the hilt by future “Star Trek Into Darkness” villain Peter Weller) bent on forcing all aliens to leave Earth. Subtle, it ain’t, but the story feels more relevant today than it did 20 years ago, and everyone in the cast gets a moment to shine. Alas, it came too late: “Enterprise” had been canceled before this episode even went into production. —Adam B. Vary Original airdate: May 13, 2005

“Prodigy” — Season 1, Episode 6

The animated “Prodigy” was the first “Star Trek” series geared toward kids, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t things for older “Trek” fans to enjoy. In particular, “Kobayashi” perfectly embodies what makes this show a worthy entry in “Trek” canon. Dal (Brett Gray) and Jankom Pog (Jason Mantzoukas) discover the holodeck aboard the Protostar, where they decide to go through the Kobayashi Maru, a.k.a. the “no-win scenario” that Capt. Kirk successfully beat during his time at the Academy. He gets help along the way from legendary characters like Spock, Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) and Odo (René Auberjonois). —J.O.

Original airdate: Jan. 6, 2022

Stormy Weather

“Discovery” — Season 4, Episode 6

On a mission to discover the origins of a cataclysmic gravitational anomaly, the U.S.S. Discovery enters a subspace rift and finds itself trapped inside a lethal black void that threatens to collapse in on the ship. The result is a classic race-against-time thriller (directed by “Trek” mainstay Jonathan Frakes), but what makes “Stormy Weather” stand out amid the heavily serialized episodes of “Discovery” is its emotionally resonant use of the ship’s sentient A.I. computer, Zora (Annabelle Wallis), who has to learn how to calm her mind from overwhelming stimuli in order to guide the ship out of danger. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Dec. 23, 2021

Seventeen Seconds

“Picard” — Season 3, Episode 3

“Picard” didn’t find itself until Season 3, which reunited the core cast of “The Next Generation” — and it was really Episode 3 that sealed the deal. Riker (Frakes) is forced to take command of the Titan as Vadic (Amanda Plummer) and the Shrike hunt them. Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Dr. Crusher get an all-time great scene together as she reveals why she never told him about their son, Jack (Ed Speleers). Worf (Michael Dorn) makes his big return. We learn the Changelings are still intent on attacking the Federation. Riker and Picard end up at odds in a way we’ve never seen before. In short, epic. —J.O.

Original airdate: March 2, 2023

The Enemy Within

“The Original Series” — Season 1, Episode 5

The transporter — the cause of, and solution to, so many “Star Trek” problems — accidentally splits Capt. Kirk (William Shatner) into two people: Good Kirk, who is wracked with indecision, and evil Kirk, who is a histrionic asshole. Come for a meditation on the darkness that lies tucked inside everyone’s psyche, stay for some of William Shatner’s most deliciously hammy acting — and this was just the fifth episode of the series! —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Oct. 6, 1966

Family Business

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 3, Episode 23

The Ferengi episodes of “DS9” are always great comic relief, with this episode giving fans their first view of the home planet of Ferenginar and Ferengi culture in general. Quark (Armin Shimerman) and Rom (Max Grodénchik) must return home when their mother, Ishka (Andrea Martin), is accused of acquiring profit (gasp!), something Ferengi females are forbidden to do. Shimerman and Martin shine as they play out Quark and Ishka’s relationship, while Grodénchik really gets to put his comedic chops on display. This episode is also notable as the first appearance of Brunt (Jeffrey Combs) from the Ferengi Commerce Authority, as well as Kasidy Yates (Penny Johnson Jerald), frequent love interest of Cmdr. Sisko (Avery Brooks). —J.O.

Original airdate: May 15, 1995

Blink of an Eye

“Voyager” — Season 6, Episode 12

The Voyager gets stuck in orbit around a planet where time passes far more rapidly than in the rest of space, as the episode alternates between the bemused curiosity of Capt. Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and her crew and the awestruck preoccupation of the expeditiously progressing populace on the planet below, for whom Voyager is a sparkling, fixed constant in the night sky. At one point, the Doctor (Robert Picard) beams down to the planet to investigate, and a delay of only a few minutes on Voyager means he spends three years on its surface. He even adopts a son! One of the great, wild what if? episodes of “Star Trek.” —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Jan. 19, 2000

“The Next Generation” — Season 3, Episode 23

Mark Lenard absolutely crushed the role of Spock’s father, Sarek, in multiple episodes across multiple “Star Trek” series and movies, but this episode is perhaps his finest performance as the character. Sarek comes to the Enterprise-D on what is meant to be his final mission, only for the crew to learn he is suffering from Bendii Syndrome. The condition leaves him prone to uncharacteristic emotional outbursts while also causing him to telepathically influence the emotions of those around him. Picard saves the day by mind melding with Sarek, allowing him to finish his mission with dignity — and provide Stewart with the chance for some powerhouse acting as he channels Sarek’s volcanic emotions. —J.O.

Original airdate: May 14, 1990

“Enterprise” — Season 3, Episode 10

“Trek” loves a moral dilemma, and this one’s a doozy: After Cmdr. Tucker (Connor Trinneer) is critically injured while the Enterprise is on a deep space mission, Dr. Phlox (John Billingsley) suggests growing a “mimetic symbiote” of Trip — effectively, a clone with a built-in two-week lifespan — in order to create the brain tissue needed to save Trip’s life. But that means the Enterprise crew must endure watching Trip’s clone rapidly age from a precocious kid to an adult man (played by Trinneer with eerie self-possession), who then pleads for his own right to live. Creepy and heartbreaking in equal measure. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Nov. 19, 2003

Trials and Tribble-ations

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 5, Episode 6

This episode is a love letter to the original series, with the Defiant’s crew transported back in time to the events of “The Trouble With Tribbles.” A Klingon agent is planning to use a booby-trapped tribble to assassinate James T. Kirk. Thanks to digital editing, the crew is able to interact with the original Enterprise crew and keep the timeline intact. —J.O.

Original airdate: Nov. 4, 1996

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 2, Episode 23

Mirror universe episodes of “Star Trek” are (almost) always fun, if ultimately a little silly. But this one — in which Kira (Nana Visitor) and Dr. Bashir (Alexander Siddig) find themselves in an alternate reality in which Bajor, Cardassians and Klingons subjugate humans as slaves — comes closest to matching the spark of discovery in the original “TOS” episode. It’s especially fun to watch Visitor devour the role of Kira’s deliciously wicked mirror counterpart, the Intendant. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: May 16, 1994

Memento Mori

“Strange New Worlds” — Season 1, Episode 4

This episode proved “Strange New Worlds” — the newest “Star Trek” series — could be as action-packed as the very best of “Star Trek.” The Enterprise crew find themselves on the run from the Gorn, a savage enemy (first introduced on “TOS” and largely ignored in “Trek” canon) about which they know virtually nothing. They are forced to use every resource at their disposal to outwit and outrun the Gorn, including tapping into the subconscious of La’an (Christina Chong), the only crew member who has encountered the aliens and survived. —J.O.

Original airdate: May 26, 2022

Counterpoint

“Voyager” — Season 5, Episode 10

The main story is a tense, WWII allegory: Capt. Janeway and her crew hide telepathic refugees while passing through the space of the Devore, who have outlawed telepaths. But the real story is the relationship Janeway forms with the lead Devore inspector, Kashyk (Mark Harelik), who suddenly shows up alone and announces he’s defecting. As Kashyk aids Janeway in finding safe harbor for the refugees, she realizes how much he’s her intellectual equal, and she finds herself drawn to him — in spite of (or perhaps spurred on by) her continued suspicion of his motives. A great, subtle performance by Mulgrew captures both Janeway’s steely wits and her private yearning. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Dec. 16, 1998

The Drumhead

“The Next Generation” — Season 4, Episode 21

“Star Trek” has done a number of courtroom episodes, and this is one of the best. Rear admiral Norah Satie (Jean Simmons) is sent to investigate suspected sabotage aboard the Enterprise. The investigation quickly spirals into paranoia and accusations of treachery against a crew member who is revealed to have Romulan lineage. It is an excellent reminder of what can happen when persecution is dressed up as an attempt at greater security, with Picard using Satie’s father’s teachings to bring about her downfall. —J.O.

Original airdate: April 29, 1991

“The Next Generation” — Season 7, Episode 8

More thwarted romance! The seasons-long will-they/won’t-they between Picard and Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) gets its best showcase, when the pair are captured by isolationist aliens and given implants that allow them to read each other’s thoughts. You get the feeling Stewart and especially McFadden had been dying to play out this dynamic on the show, so they both bring years of sublimated longing to the episode. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Nov. 8, 1993

In the Hands of the Prophets

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 1, Episode 20

Louise Fletcher’s performance as Vedek Winn (later Kai Winn) ranks among the best “Star Trek” villains of all time. Deeply religious to the point of fanaticism, Winn protests Keiko O’Brien (Rosalind Chao) teaching children on Deep Space Nine that the wormhole aliens are not deities, as many Bajorans believe. Winn’s words whip Bajorans on the station into a frenzy; Keiko’s school is bombed. But what Winn really desires is power, to the point she tries to get one of her followers to kill a fellow Vedek she sees as a threat. The episode sets up Winn’s role as a major antagonist throughout the series to great effect. —J.O.

Original airdate: June 21, 1993

The Trouble With Tribbles

“The Original Series” — Season 2, Episode 15

If you’ve seen any episode of “TOS,” chances are it’s this one. While on shore leave at a space station, the Enterprise comes upon an adorably furry alien creature called a tribble, which are born pregnant, multiply exponentially, consume enormous quantities of food and react with alarm when in the presence of a Klingon. Fizzy and funny and, to this day, one of the best-known episodes of “Trek” ever. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Dec. 29, 1967

Balance of Terror

“The Original Series” — Season 1, Episode 14

Introducing the Romulans alone makes this episode worthy of being on the list. But it’s also an epic cat-and-mouse game between Kirk and a Romulan commander played by none other than Mark Lenard, who would go on to play Sarek starting in Season 2. Kirk successfully lures the Romulan ship into a trap, leading to Lenard delivering the iconic line, “You and I are of a kind. In a different reality, I could have called you friend.” —J.O.

Original airdate: Dec. 15, 1966

“The Next Generation” — Season 4, Episode 20

John de Lancie never disappoints when he plays Q, but this episode offered a wonderful twist on his usual appearances. Following the events of “Deja Q,” Q returns to the Enterprise saying he owes Picard a debt. Picard repeatedly tells Q he wants nothing from him, but Q notices Picard has eyes for Vash (Jennifer Hetrick), the mercenary archeologist Picard first met on Risa. Being Q, he naturally transports Picard, Vash, and the bridge crew to a Robin Hood fantasy in which Picard must rescue Vash from the evil Sir Guy of Gisbourne (Clive Frevill). Added bonus: Worf, in scarlet tights, exclaiming in protest, “I am not a merry man!” —J.O.

Original airdate: April 22, 1991

“The Original Series” — Season 1, Episode 18

The classic “trial by combat” episode that pitted Kirk against a Gorn captain on a barren, rocky planet (i.e. the storied filming location Vasquez Rocks ). Few images from “Star Trek” have become more iconic than the original Gorn costume, which was essentially an actor dressed as a large lizard. The ending is also an all-timer, with Kirk choosing to spare the Gorn, proving to the all-powerful Metrons that set up the trial by combat that humans are capable of more than just random violence. —J.O.

Original airdate: Jan. 19, 1967

A Mathematically Perfect Redemption

“Lower Decks” — Season 3, Episode 7

“Star Trek’s” first pure comedy (and second animated series) often plays as a twisted love letter to the entire “Trek” franchise — like when Peanut Hamper (Kether Donohue), one of the sentient Exocomp robots first introduced on “The Next Generation,” abandons the crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos in a time of need. This episode tracks Peanut Hamper’s journey to redemption afterwards, which involves her encountering a seemingly primitive species called the Areore. To say anything more would spoil the fun; suffice it to say, “Trek” has rarely provoked gasps of deep laughter like this episode does. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Oct. 6, 2022

Bar Association

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 4, Episode 15

What better episode of “Star Trek” to talk about after Hollywood’s hot labor summer? Fed up with the unfair conditions at Quark’s bar, Rom talks the other workers into forming a union and going on strike. Max Grodénchik truly shines in this episode as the would-be union leader. Once Rom successfully gets Quark to agree to all the workers’ demands, he outright quits and goes to work as a repair technician for the station, setting up some of Rom’s best moments in the episodes to come. —J.O.

Original airdate: Feb. 19, 1996

“Voyager” — Season 5, Episode 26 & Season 6, Episode 1

The Voyager swoops to the rescue of the Equinox, another Federation starship stranded in the Gamma Quadrant — only this one, led by Capt. Ransom (John Savage), is a smaller ship not meant for deep space travel. With their crew whittled down to just 12 people, Ransom has resorted to murdering alien creatures to use their bio-matter to boost the Equinox’s engines — a horrific violation of everything Starfleet stands for. The discovery pushes Janeway to her own limits, as she obsessively pursues the Equinox despite the cost to her own crew and her morality. The two-parter is one of the darkest episodes of “Star Trek,” a chilling reminder of how easily good people can find themselves slipping into disgrace. —A.B.V.

Original airdates: May 26, 1999 & Sept. 22, 1999

Who Mourns for Morn?

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 6, Episode 12

Morn (Mark Allen Shepherd) was a “Deep Space Nine” fixture, always at Quark’s bar, but never actually speaking onscreen. But in this episode, with Morn apparently dead in an accident, everyone reveals the offscreen times they spent with him, including the revelation that he “never shuts up.” Quark inherits all of Morn’s property, which Odo relishes revealing is ultimately nothing. But as it turns out, Morn had a much more adventurous life before his time on “DS9” than anyone knew, leading his former comrades to seek him out to get a hold of the money they believed he still possessed. —J.O.

Original airdate: Feb. 4, 1998

Species Ten-C

“Discovery” — Season 4, Episode 12

Other than the Gorn, almost all of the aliens on “Star Trek” are, essentially, humans with slightly different forehead ridges. But in its most recent season, “Discovery” embraced “Trek’s” prime directive (seeking out new life, bolding going where no one’s gone, etc.) by crafting a species that is truly alien: the Ten-C. Throughout the season, the Ten-C are presented as both a total mystery and an existential threat; when Capt. Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the crew of the Discovery finally reach them — outside the barrier of the Milky Way galaxy — they are unlike anything the show has ever encountered. Rarely has “Trek” applied more intellectual and emotional rigor to what it might actually be like to attempt first contact with extra-terrestrials, and rarely has it been this compelling. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: March 10, 2022

A Man Alone

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 1, Episode 4

Odo is one of the best characters in “DS9” — and in the “Star Trek” universe — in general, and this is the first episode to really establish him as a standout . A known criminal returns to the station only to die shortly after, and Odo is accused of his murder. Odo’s status as an outsider, but ultimately someone to be respected, is made crystal clear in this episode, with even his archenemy Quark acknowledging that Odo is not the type to murder someone in cold blood. —J.O.

Original airdate: Jan. 17, 1993

Mirror, Mirror

“The Original Series” — Season 2, Episode 4

The transporter strikes again, this time accidentally zapping Kirk, Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Scotty (James Doohan) and Bones (DeForest Kelley) from their reality into a parallel universe in which the benevolent Federation has been replaced by the bloodthirsty Terran Empire, governed by brute force and fascistic exploitation — and Spock has a goatee! More silly than serious (and no less fun for it), the episode effectively spawned an entire sub-genre of parallel universe episodes of TV (from “Supernatural” to “Friends”) and gave generations of actors a chance to play wildly against type. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Oct. 6, 1967

“The Next Generation” — Season 4, Episode 2

People rave about “The Best of Both Worlds” and Picard’s assimilation by the Borg, but fewer remember this incredible follow-up episode. Picard returns to his family vineyard to put the Borg incident behind him, even briefly thinking that he will leave Starfleet. Jeremy Kemp crushes it as Picard’s brother Robert, with the two sharing a memorable (and muddy) scene in which Picard breaks down and admits how much his assimilation has shaken him. The episode is also memorable for the appearance of Worf’s adoptive parents, who come to the Enterprise to be with him following his discommendation. —J.O.

Original airdate: Oct. 1, 1990

Living Witness

“Voyager” — Season 4, Episode 23

For several minutes, “Living Witness” seems like a mirror universe episode, as a ruthless Janeway, captain of the “warship” Voyager, agrees to aid the Vaskans against the insurgent Kyrians by unleashing a biological weapon upon millions and executing the Kyrian leader. But then we realize that we’ve just witnessed a recreation at a Kyrian museum 700 years in the future, at which point a copy of the Doctor enters the story and learns, to his horror, how much the Kyrians have gotten wrong. What could have been a Rashomon-style caper instead becomes fascinating meditation on how the telling of history can be weaponized, even inadvertently, to maintain old wounds rather than heal them. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: April 29, 1998

Unification

“The Next Generation” — Season 5, Episode 7 & 8

Spock appeared on “The Next Generation” a month before the release of 1991’s “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country” — but this time, at least, crass cross-promotion prompted some sublimely entertaining TV, as Picard and Data (Brent Spiner) aid Spock in his effort to reunify the Romulan and Vulcan peoples. [Stefon voice]: This two-parter has everything : Klingon warbirds, rude Ferengis, Tasha’s evil Romulan daughter Sela (Denise Crosby), Data and Spock philosophizing on their twin pursuits of logic and emotion, the death of Sarek, Worf singing Klingon opera with a four-armed bar pianist, and Picard and Spock mind-melding! —A.B.V.

Original airdates: Nov. 4 & 11, 1991

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 7, Episode 9

Gul Dukat is the best villain in “Star Trek.” Yes, you read that right. The writers and actor Marc Alaimo created an incredibly nuanced character that goes through a remarkable arc over the course of the series. This episode, near the end of “DS9’s” run, reminds fans that Dukat sees himself as a savior, but is ultimately a force for evil. He establishes a cult dedicated to the Pah wraiths on Empok Nor, luring a number of Bajorans to his side. But of course, he also sleeps with his female followers and tries to trick them into a mass suicide. Amazing stuff. —J.O.

Original airdate: Nov. 23, 1998

The Last Generation

“Picard” — Season 3, Episode 10

The cast of “TNG” infamously never got their swan song, after 2002’s “Star Trek: Nemesis” bombed in theaters, so this series finale serves as a gift both to them and to “TNG” fans. Every character gets their spotlight, including the resurrected Enterprise-D, as Picard, Riker, Dr. Crusher, Data, Worf, LaForge (LeVar Burton) and Troi (Marina Sirtis) all help to take down the Borg once and for all. The final scene — everyone sitting around a poker table, laughing and reminiscing — is as pure and satisfying an expression of fan service as anything “Trek” has ever done. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: April 20, 2023

“The Next Generation” — Season 3, Episode 13

Until this episode, Q was an enjoyably malevolent force within “TNG,” an omnipotent being who’d gleefully pop up now and again to play with the lives of the Enterprise-D crew. But here, when Q suddenly appears on the bridge, he’s been stripped of all his powers (and all of his clothes) and begs Picard for safe harbor. At first, no one believes him — even after Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg) stabs him with a fork — which only fuels John de Lancie’s sparkling performance, as Q confronts life as ( shudder ) a mortal human. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Feb. 3, 1990

An Embarrassment of Dooplers

“Lower Decks” — Season 2, Episode 5

The title refers to an alien called a Doopler, who duplicate themselves whenever they get embarrassed — which, naturally, becomes an issue the moment one steps foot on the Cerritos. But really, this episode is one of those deeply enjoyable “Trek” episodes that is less about story than it is about the vibes , as the characters spend their downtime winningly contending with the central premise of the show: The bittersweet contentment of life at the bottom of the ladder. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Sept. 9, 2021

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 2, Episode 19    

The lives of the past hosts of the Dax symbiont are a recurring plot device on “DS9,” and no episode does it better than this one. A group of Klingons who knew Curzon Dax arrive at the station and enlist Jadzia’s (Terry Ferrell) help in killing their sworn enemy, a criminal known as The Albino who killed the three Klingons’ first-born sons. Jadzia ultimately honors the blood oath, as the episode explores the meaning of honor and solidarity. —J.O.

Original airdate: March 28, 1994

Where No Man Has Gone Before

“The Original Series” — Season 1, Episode 3

The famed second pilot episode of “Star Trek” (which introduced William Shatner as Capt. Kirk) is a strange artifact today: Bones and Uhura aren’t aboard yet, Sulu (George Takei) isn’t at the helm, the Enterprise has a psychiatrist (played by Sally Kellerman), and the uniforms and sets look a bit off. But the central story — Kirk’s best friend, Gary Mitchell (Gary Lockwood), is zapped by an energy blast at the edge of the galaxy, and begins to exhibit extraordinary psychokinetic powers — is vintage “Trek”: Brainy, brawny, and just the right side of uncanny. And it’s fascinating now to see how well-established Kirk and Spock’s dynamic of emotion vs. logic was from the very start. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Sept. 22, 1966

The Measure of a Man

“The Next Generation” — Season 2, Episode 9

Data’s quest for humanity is at the very core of “TNG,” and this stirring episode literally puts that quest on trial — and establishes the show’s voice for the rest of its run. A Starfleet scientist wants to dismantle Data in order to create more androids, but Data refuses, setting up an intense courtroom drama — is Data merely a machine and the property of Starfleet? — with Picard representing Data while Riker is forced to represent the scientist. —J.O.

Original airdate: Feb. 13, 1989

“The Next Generation” — Season 4, Episode 26 & Season 5, Episode 1

The Klingons started on “Trek” as a not-that-thinly-veiled metaphor for the Soviet Union at the height of the Cold War, but over the decades, they’ve developed their own richly detailed mythology. This two-parter (which aired just before the fall of the USSR) depicts a civil war within the Klingon Empire that leads to Worf’s decision to leave the Enterprise and join the fight. For a series that was episodic by design, this is the closest “TNG” ever got to serialized storytelling, incorporating events from several previous episodes — including the shocking introduction of Tasha’s Romulan daughter, Sela. —A.B.V.

Original airdates: June 17, 1991 & Sept. 23, 1991

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 1, Episode 11

It is endlessly entertaining to see Quark get what he wants as he then  learns that it’s way more trouble than he realized. This episode sums that idea up nicely, while also featuring the first of many wonderful appearances by Wallace Shawn as Ferengi leader Grand Nagus Zek. Zek unexpectedly names Quark his successor, only for Zek to die shortly after. Quark is thrilled at first, before he realizes being the Nagus puts a massive target on his back. This episode also helps build the friendship between Nog (Aron Eisenbeg) and Jake (Cirroc Lofton), with Jake secretly teaching Nog how to read. —J.O.

Original airdate: March 22, 1993

Tinker, Tenor, Doctor, Spy

“Voyager” — Season 6, Episode 4

Yearning to grow past his programming, the Doctor allows himself the ability to daydream, in one of the flat-out funniest episodes of “Trek” ever. It opens with Robert Picardo singing opera as Tuvok (Tim Russ) undergoes pon farr (i.e. the madness to mate that consumes Vulcan males) and just gets wilder from there, up to the moment when the Doctor, who’d fantasized about taking over command of Voyager in an emergency, does it for real. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Oct. 13, 1999

“The Original Series” — Season 2, Episode 1

Speaking of pon farr, this is the “TOS” episode that first establishes it — as well as the planet Vulcan, several Vulcan customs and traditions, and the now legendary Vulcan salute (honorable mention: Spock actually smiles!). Wracked with pon farr, Spock asks for leave back on his home planet, and eventually reveals that he must meet his betrothed, T’Pring (Arlene Martel). Naturally, Kirk and Spock end up in a fight to the death in one of the most iconic battles in “Star Trek” history. —J.O.

Original airdate: Sept. 15, 1967

Year of Hell

“Voyager” — Season 4, Episode 8 & 9

The most lasting criticism of “Voyager” is that every week, no matter what happened in the previous episode, the ship and crew emerged unscathed and ready for a new adventure. As if in response, this two-parter tracks a year in which the Voyager is ravaged to the point of near ruin by repeated encounters with an aggressive alien species called the Krenim. Unbeknownst to the crew, they’re actually the victims of a Krenim scientist, Annorax (Kurtwood Smith), who developed a technology to alter the fabric of time by erasing entire species from ever existing. This is as harrowing and merciless as “Trek’s” ever been, but it’s not quite the best episode of “Voyager” due to the irony of its ending: Janeway crashes the husk of the Voyager into Annorax’s timeship — which resets the timeline completely, as if nothing that we’d seen had ever happened. —A.B.V.

Original airdates: Nov. 5 & 12, 1997

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 3, Episodes 11 & 12

“Star Trek” often addresses timely societal issues, but this episode put them firmly in a 21st century context. Sisko, Bashir, and Dax accidentally wind up in San Francisco circa 2024, where poverty and oppression of the disadvantaged are running rampant (crazy how that remains timely, huh?). When a man meant to serve an important purpose in an historic riot is accidentally killed too soon, Sisko is forced to take his place. —J.O.

Original airdate: Jan. 2, 1995 & Jan. 9, 1995

Those Old Scientists

“Strange New Worlds” — Season 2, Episode 7

In one of the rare “Trek” crossover episodes, Ens. Boimler (Jack Quaid) and Ens. Mariner (Tawny Newsome) from “Lower Decks” find themselves zapped back to the era when Capt. Pike (Anson Mount) captained the Enterprise. Marshalled by Jonathan Frakes’ steady hand as a director , the disparate tones of “Lower Decks” and “Strange New World” somehow mesh perfectly, and hilariously, together. Packed with guffaw-worthy laughs, “Those Old Scientists” also becomes a deeply poignant expression of the impact “Trek” has had on generations of fans. Maybe it’s controversial to place one of the most recent “Trek” episodes so high on this list, but this one more than earns its spot. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: July 22, 2023

The Best of Both Worlds

“The Next Generation” — Season 3, Episode 26 & Season 4, Episode 1

This two-parter is frequently cited as the best “Next Generation” storyline of all time, mostly because it features one of the most iconic cliffhangers in all of television. The Borg attack the Federation, leading to a showdown with the Enterprise. Picard is captured and assimilated, revealing himself to his crew as Locutus of Borg. If we’re splitting Borg nano-probes, the second half doesn’t quite live up to the first, which is why, for us, it doesn’t quite rank into the Top 10. Special shoutout to this episode for setting up the incredible “Star Trek” film “First Contact.” —J.O.

Original airdate: June 18, 1990 & Sept. 24, 1990

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 1, Episode 19

When a Cardassian named Marritza (Harris Yulin) arrives on Deep Space Nine, Kira realizes he must have worked at one of the most notorious labor camps during Cardassia’s occupation of Bajor, and she arrests him as a war criminal. What follows is effectively a two-hander, as Kira’s interrogation of Marritza leads to a series of revelations that unmoor her hard-won fury at the atrocities inflicted upon her people. The conventional wisdom is that “DS9” didn’t get cooking until the Dominion War, but this early episode proves that this show was providing great, searing drama from the start. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: June 14, 1993

“The Original Series” — Season 1, Episode 22

Ricardo Montalbán makes his debut as Khan Noonien Singh, a genetically superior dictator from Earth’s Eugenics Wars. Khan and his people have been in suspended animation for 200 years and are looking to dominate humanity once again. Naturally, Kirk is able to beat Khan in a riveting confrontation, but rather than send him and his people to a penal colony, he agrees to let them settle on the wild planet, Ceti Alpha V. The episode proved to be so good, it led to the 1982 film “Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan,” arguably the best “Trek” movie of all time. —J.O.

Original airdate: Feb. 16, 1967

“Voyager” — Season 5, Episode 6

There’s something about time travel — and the twisty narrative paradoxes it can cause — that has engendered some of the best episodes of “Trek” ever made. That certainly includes this stunning “Voyager” episode, which opens with Harry Kim (Garrett Wang) and Chakotay (Robert Beltran), 15 years in the future, discovering the frozen husk of the Voyager buried inside a glacier on a barren ice planet. It turns out Kim made a critical mistake that caused the catastrophic accident, from which only he and Chakotay survived. Their unyielding fixation to right that wrong — and erase the previous 15 years from history — makes for a gripping nail-biter about regret and devotion. Not only did LeVar Burton direct, but he cameos as Capt. Geordi La Forge! —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Nov. 18, 1998

The Defector

“The Next Generation” — Season 3, Episode 10

Did a Romulan admiral really defect to the Federation, or are the Romulans perpetrating an elaborate hoax on Picard and the Enterprise crew? This wonderful episode sees the admiral in question (played by James Sloyan) claiming the Romulans are building a secret base within the Neutral Zone, forcing Picard to consider whether or not he should investigate and thus risk starting a war. It also features the excellent opening in which Picard tries to teach Data about humanity by having him act out scenes from Shakespeare’s “Henry V.” —J.O.

Original airdate: Jan. 1, 1990

Chain of Command

“The Next Generation” — Season 6, Episode 10 & 11

Lured into Cardassian territory under false pretenses, Picard is captured and systematically tortured by a ruthless interrogator, Gul Madred, in a chilling performance by David Warner. Their disturbing tête-à-tête — Picard is stripped naked and nearly broken by the end — would be enough for one of the all-time best “Trek” episodes. But this two-parter also boasts Ronny Cox as Capt. Jellico, Picard’s replacement on the Enterprise, whose prickly and demanding leadership style creates all kinds of thrilling friction among the crew. —A.B.V.

Original airdates: Dec. 14 & 21, 1992

In the Pale Moonlight

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 6, Episode 19

In this fantastic episode, Sisko grapples with the ethics of doing whatever it takes to get the Romulans to join the Dominion War on the Federation-Klingon side. This includes falsifying evidence and freeing a known criminal from Klingon prison with the help of master spy Garak (played by the always wonderful Andrew Robinson). Sisko (while recording a personal log) delivers a series of powerful monologues direct to camera about why he did what he did, ultimately deciding it was worth it in the end. —J.O.

Original airdate: April 13, 1998

The City on the Edge of Forever

“The Original Series” — Season 1, Episode 28

Accidentally hopped up on stimulants, a crazed Bones leaps through a time portal on an alien planet and winds up changing history so drastically that the Enterprise disappears. Kirk and Spock travel back to stop him, and land in New York City during the Great Depression, where they learn that Bones saved the life of Sister Edith Keeler (Joan Collins), a pacifist whose message resonates so strongly that the U.S. stays out of WWII, allowing the Nazis to conquer Europe. Alas, Kirk falls deeply in love with Keeler, establishing a classic “Trek” moral dilemma: How does one suppress their most profound personal feelings for the greater good? An all-timer that still resonates today. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: April 6, 1967

Far Beyond the Stars

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 6, Episode 13

In this Avery Brooks-directed episode, Sisko envisions himself as a Black science fiction writer in 1950s New York named Benny Russell. Russell dreams up a story about the crew of a space station led by a Black captain, but his publisher refuses to run it. This episode is memorable for many reasons, the biggest of which being its handling of racism, but it also allows the show’s main cast gets to appear without any prosthetics or makeup, as completely different characters, to great effect. —J.O.

Original airdate: Feb. 9, 1998

Yesterday’s Enterprise

“The Next Generation” — Season 3, Episode 15

The Enterprise-C, believed to have been destroyed over 20 years earlier, emerges from a temporal anomaly and resets history into a decades-long war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. Tasha — killed off in Season 1 (after Denise Crosby wanted to leave the show) — is brought back to life, and falls for the Enterprise-C’s helmsman (Christopher McDonald), while Guinan implores Picard that something is desperately wrong with history and he must send the Enterprise-C back to certain doom. Somehow, this episode crams a movie’s worth of story into a nimble and rousing 44 minutes. Not a second is wasted. Outrageously great. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: Feb. 19, 1990

The Inner Light

“The Next Generation” — Season 5, Episode 25

When the Enterprise comes upon a mysterious probe, Picard is suddenly hit with a signal that plunges him into a different man’s life on a dying planet. There, Picard experiences half a lifetime, with a wife, children and grandchildren, all in the space of 25 minutes. When Picard realizes this was all meant as a time capsule — a way to preserve the stories of the people of the planet, which was destroyed 1,000 years earlier by an exploding star — the revelation that he lived the life he’d long forsaken as a Starfleet captain, only to have it ripped away, is almost more than he can bear. But hoo boy, does it make for stunning, deeply moving television. In fact, almost no episode of “Trek” is better. Almost. —A.B.V.

Original airdate: June 1, 1992

The Visitor

“Deep Space Nine” — Season 4, Episode 2

Don’t watch this one without tissues handy. This emotionally devastating episode gets right to the heart of what made “DS9” so special — the relationship between Sisko and his son, Jake. Told in flashbacks by an elderly Jake (Tony Todd), the episode recounts how Sisko became unstuck in time, briefly revisiting Jake over the course of his life, and how Jake is determined to bring him back. In brief, fleeting moments, Sisko tells Jake not to worry about him and to live his life to the fullest. But Jake cannot bear the thought of losing his father forever, ultimately sacrificing his own life to restore the normal flow of time. —J.O.

Original airdate: Oct. 9, 1995

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In the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets. In the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets. In the 23rd Century, Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise explore the galaxy and defend the United Federation of Planets.

• Gene Roddenberry
• William Shatner
• Leonard Nimoy
• DeForest Kelley
• 277 User reviews
• 99 Critic reviews
• 16 wins & 31 nominations total

Episodes 80

Photos 1999

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• Mister Spock …

• Lieutenant Leslie …

• Nurse Chapel …

• Ensign Freeman …

• Yeoman Rand …

• Announcer …

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• Trivia In the hallways of the Enterprise there are tubes marked "GNDN." These initials stand for "goes nowhere does nothing."
• Goofs The deck locations for Kirk's Quarters, Sickbay and Transporter Room vary (usually between decks 4-7) throughout the series.

Dr. McCoy : "He's dead, Jim."

• Crazy credits On some episodes, the closing credits show a still that is actually from the Star Trek blooper reel. It is a close-up of stunt man Bill Blackburn who played an android in Return to Tomorrow (1968) , removing his latex make up. In the reel, He is shown taking it off, while an off-screen voice says "You wanted show business, you got it!"
• Alternate versions In 2006, CBS went back to the archives and created HD prints of every episode of the show. In addition to the new video transfer, they re-did all of the model shots and some matte paintings using CGI effects, and re-recorded the original theme song to clean it up. These "Enhanced" versions of the episodes aired on syndication and have been released on DVD and Blu-Ray.
• Connections Edited into Ben 10: Secrets (2006)
• Soundtracks Star Trek Music by Alexander Courage

User reviews 277

• May 17, 2006
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• What does "TOS" mean?
• September 8, 1966 (United States)
• United States
• Star Trek: The Original Series
• Backlot, Culver Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA
• Desilu Productions
• Norway Corporation
• Paramount Television
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• Runtime 50 minutes

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Preserver technology

Preserver language

The Preservers were a super-race . Spock stated that " They passed through the galaxy rescuing primitive cultures which were in danger of extinction and seeding them, so to speak, where they could live and grow. "

Among the cultures they transplanted were several of the more advanced and peaceful tribes of Native American tribes from Earth , who were transplanted to Amerind , a planet nearly half-a-galaxy away. Navajo , Mohican , and Delaware were represented. To these Humans, primitive compared to the Federation , the Preservers were known as " the Wise Ones ". The planet also contained plant species identical to those of Earth, which were extremely unlikely to have evolved there.

They also provided this planet with a powerful obelisk -like asteroid deflector , and instructed the appointed medicine chief in its operation, to be transmitted from father to son.

Based on the complexity of the obelisk they appeared to have possessed extremely sophisticated building apparatus, consistent with a culture equal or surpassing that of the Federation during the 23rd century . They also possessed a highly advanced form of cipher writing , apparently based on musical scales.

Starfleet first became aware of the Preservers in 2268 , when the USS Enterprise visited Amerind, and discovered the transplanted Native Americans as well as the obelisk. While the structure initially defied analysis, Commander Spock eventually deciphered the writing, from which he learned about the preservers. ( TOS : " The Paradise Syndrome ")

A Preserver obelisk was also present on one of the moons of Andoria . ( DIS : " Context Is for Kings ")

• 1.1 Background information
• 1.2 Apocrypha
• 1.3 External link

Appendices [ ]

Background information [ ].

Ronald D. Moore has stated that he'd considered, but intentionally did not specify, that the ancient humanoids seen in " The Chase " were in fact the Preservers. He noted, "but this could be them and be internally consistent." ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion  (2nd ed., p. 244)) It should be noted that the Ancient humanoids seeded worlds 4.5 billion years ago, while Native American cultures only emerged in the last 15,000 years.

Apocrypha [ ]

Despite the enormous gap, however, they are stated to be the same species in the DS9 comic book " Descendants " and in Star Trek Online . The idea was also part of the plot in the Star Trek: Federation proposal.

The Star Trek Encyclopedia  (4th ed., vol. 2, p. 179) wonders " if the Preservers might have been the unknown alien agency responsible for protecting the aboriginal Ventu people on the Ledos planet in " Natural Law " ".

According to the novel The Poisoned Chalice , the people of Magna Roma were descended from humans transplanted from Earth by the Preservers .

External link [ ]

• Preserver (race) at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• 3 Erigah (episode)