star trek terms

Words We Know Because Of Star Trek

Star Trek is one of the most beloved science fiction television franchises to ever air. Debuting in 1966 with Star Trek: The Original Series , this long-running franchise is about the crew of a starship (spaceship), the USS Enterprise , as it explores the deepest depths of outer space. Along the way, the crew meet new life forms, get into all kinds of hijinks , and battle for their lives. The show is particularly known for the way it implicitly and explicitly addresses issues of race; in fact, the original series featured one of the first multiracial casts on American television.

Over time, the Star Trek franchise—which now includes movies, books, comics, and even an animated series—has had an enormous influence on popular culture. Terms and expressions from the show, like live long and prosper , have become part of the general lexicon, even for people who couldn’t pick Captain Kirk out of a lineup (hint: it’s the guy who looks like William Shatner).

There are dozens of terms that Star Trek has contributed to the English language. We’ve picked out just a handful of expressions the show created or popularized to highlight their meanings and origin stories. Read on if you dare.

To boldly go where no man has gone before

It sounds like something JFK would say, but it was actually popularized by Star Trek . “Where No Man Has Gone Before” is the name of the second Star Trek pilot, which eventually became the third episode of the first season of the original series—got that straight? It was written by Samuel A. Peeples, a prolific television writer best known for his Westerns.

The expression itself made its way into the voiceover by Captain James Tiberius Kirk (played by William Shatner) that opened every episode of the original run of show:

Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds. To seek out new life and new civilizations. To boldly go where no man has gone before.

In the series Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994), the language was changed to no one has gone before to be more gender neutral.

The expression itself has gone far from its origins and become a reference point for memes and snowclones in its own right. For instance, the phrase “to boldly go where no woman has gone before” is used variously to discuss women in STEM research, running large companies, or winning a presidential election in the United States.

To boldly go where no [x] has gone before has caught some flack as an expression because it uses a split infinitive . In other words, the infinitive verb to go is “split” or separated, by the adverb boldly . But frankly, to go boldly where no [x] has gone before just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

Resistance is futile

Resistance is futile is the nihilistic catch phrase used by the perennial baddies on the show, the Borg. The Borg are a collective of cyborg aliens that our protagonists frequently skirmish with; they are utopians who ruthlessly pursue perfection at all costs.

The specific phrase resistance is futile was first uttered by a Borg in the film Star Trek: First Contact (1996). However the exact phrase was used once in a ’70s TV series Space: 1999. A different version of the phrase, “resistance is useless,” was used by Douglas Adams in Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy and in Doctor Who , as early as the ’60s or ’70s.

Resistance is futile and its variations, like it is futile to resist , has become a stock phrase of movie villains in general since the Star Trek usage. Doctor Who even switched over to this phrasing when reoccurring baddie The Master in the popular Doctor Who series says resistance is futile in season 14, episode 9, “The Deadly Assassin.” It also has more broadly permeated popular culture. For instance, conservative television personality Ann Coulter published a book entitled Resistance Is Futile!: How the Trump-Hating Left Lost Its Collective Mind in 2018.

Live long and prosper ( the Vulcan salute 🖖)

One of the main characters on Star Trek is Mr. Spock (played by Leonard Nimoy), who is a member of the Vulcan race, an alien people who are known for their pointy ears and aversion to emotion. Members of the Vulcan race greet each other with the hand salute (raising their hand with a separation between the middle and ring fingers).

Nimoy first used the gesture in the 1967 TV episode “Amok Time,” in which Spock comes into contact with other members of his Vulcan race.

Nimoy wanted the Vulcans to have a way of greeting one another similar to human hand gestures. In an interview with the New York Times , Nimoy said that his Vulcan salute was inspired by a gesture that he witnessed during a Jewish religious service when he was a boy. Jewish priests perform the actual religious gesture with both hands to form the Hebrew letter shin , ש.

The greeting Live long and prosper! has also accompanied the Vulcan salute ever since its debut. Deuteronomy 5:33 is most cited as the inspiration for the phrase.

Star Trek fans and nerds alike are prone to use the salute, the expression, or both as a sign of their geek pride.

Prime Directive

In the world of Star Trek , our protagonists work for Starfleet, an intergalactic space force dedicated to exploration and diplomacy (think UN Peacekeepers, but in space). Starfleet crew are expected to follow the Prime Directive . Prime means “first” and directive refers to an official order or mandate. The Prime Directive is never explicitly stated on the show, but based on references throughout the franchise, fans have determined it means that:

The crew cannot interfere with the development of another society; and,
every species has the right to live as it wishes without interference by another.

These principles were developed by the show’s creators as a statement against American intervention in Vietnam.

Despite how official it sounds, there are a lot of examples of the Prime Directive being violated by characters on the show. Nevertheless, references to the Prime Directive percolated into the popular culture … and even academic study. It’s particularly used in reference to the ethics of interventionism —whether in concrete applications like foreign policy, or further afield (such as discussing possible contact with sentient extraterrestrial life forms).

Beam me up, Scotty

Beam me up, Scotty is a catchphrase from the television show and film series Star Trek . It can stand on its own as an allusion to the show; it can be used to comment on something retrofuturistic; or it can serve as a humorous request to escape a certain situation.

In Star Trek , characters “ beam ” up and down from their ship to various planets by means of a teleporter. Requests for the chief engineer, Montgomery Scott, nicknamed “Scotty,” to beam up or beam down are common throughout the series. The phrase Beam me up, Scotty is especially associated with Captain Kirk, the captain of the Starship Enterprise.

Beam me up, Scotty is one way of saying “get me out of this place” or expressing rhetorical frustration with the world around you. Evidence for these senses, sometimes extended to “Beam me up, Scotty, there’s no intelligent life down here ,” date back to the 1980s, especially used in difficult legal or business contexts.

Oddly enough, despite the popularity of the phrase, this exact catchphrase never actually appeared on any episode of the show. (For example, the original film series used “Scotty, beam me up” in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. )

Imagine this: you’re a young actor, and you’ve just been cast on an episode of Star Trek. You’re thrilled! Maybe this will become a regular gig. You get to the set and the wardrobe manager hands you … a red shirt. Your heart sinks. Why?

In the original series of Star Trek , of which there were three seasons, background characters wore red uniforms in contrast to the main cast’s blue or gold uniforms. And these background characters frequently bit the dust. According to an analysis by fan Matt Bailey, 73 percent of the crew members who died in the original series were wearing red shirts. (A different analysis determined that proportional to the rest of the crew, red shirts were not more likely to die than gold or blue shirts, so take it for what you will.)

This trope became known as a redshirt or, in other words, characters who are included just so they can be killed off later. While the name might come from Star Trek , it was hardly the only TV show or movie to engage in this practice. A classic example of a redshirt is the character that appears at the beginning of a murder mystery who is killed off to get the ball rolling.

If you’re traveling in a spacecraft at a (very hypothetical) speed faster than light, you’re moving at warp speed . Warp speed draws on earlier references to warps —metaphorical twists—in time and space during interstellar travel in science fiction. Dating back to science fiction in the 1950s, a time warp , for instance, would allow movement back and forth in time or suspend the passage of time. (Again, extremely hypothetical stuff.)

In the world of Star Trek , ships are outfitted with warp drives that allow them to move at superluminal speeds, or warp speed . Since Star Trek , warp speed has spread as a term for “extremely fast” more generally. Buckle up.

Check out this article we did with the Langley Research Center at NASA to take your vocab on a trip through outer space, too.

trekkie | trekker

The word trekkie , or the less-common trekker , is a word used to describe die-hard Star Trek fans. According to popular lore, the word trekkie was coined by show creator Arthur W. Saha in 1967 though not attested until later. Trekkie is actually predated by the word trekker , which was used by a fan in a letter to the editor printed in the March 4, 1967 edition of TV Guide .

Either way, trekkies or trekkers are known for cosplaying as their favorite characters, discussing the show endlessly with one another, and generally enjoying the Star Trek fictional world. Trekkies are stereotyped frequently in popular culture as dweeby nerds, but the truth is that there are a lot of different kinds of Star Trek fans. This has caused some to adopt the word trekker to refer to Star Trek fans who might not fit the classic stereotype.

One of the many alien races in the Star Trek universe are the Klingons. These are, frankly, pretty monstrous-looking beings and their language (which is also called Klingon) sounds pretty scary. But, it is a language . In fact, American linguist Marc Okrand created an entire Klingon language, of which there were about a dozen fluent speakers as of 1996 (the last time a study was done).

Reference to the Klingon language, also known as Klingonese, is found throughout popular culture. Generally, when a character knows Klingon in television or movies, it’s shorthand for “nerd.” Additionally, Klingon has gone far beyond the Star Trek universe. There are books, theater performances, and even at one point a Wikipedia in Klingon. Not bad for a totally fictional language! J.R.R. Tolkien would be jealous.

Want to know about more fictional languages? Read about them here.

(Vulcan) mind meld

If you’ve ever felt you’ve read someone’s mind, you might have experienced a Vulcan mind meld . It’s unknown where the word meld comes from, but it’s believed to be a combination of the words melt and weld , which gives you a pretty good sense of what happens during a Vulcan mind meld .

On the show, Mr. Spock and other members of the Vulcan race are able to read someone’s thoughts, see their memories, and even at times feel their emotions. It’s essentially a power that allows people to communicate with their mind—in other words, telepathy .

In the popular lexicon, a Vulcan mind meld , or simply a mind meld is used to describe a similar phenomenon: when two people are so in sync that it is as if they are of one mind. No Vulcan powers required.

If you’re curious about other words that originated from the sci-fi universe, check out these words.

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Star Trek terminology: A beginner’s guide to acronyms

December 15, 2021 by Philip Bates Leave a Comment

One of the first things you need to know about Star Trek terminology is that there are a lot of acronyms. A lot. And they’re not all simple. Doctor Who is easy: “TARDIS” stands for “Time And Relative Dimension In Space.” No, Star Trek has complex engineering and story-specific abbreviations like “M/ARA”, which means “Matter/ Antimatter Reaction Assembly.”

It can all be a bit intimidating, especially if you’re new to the worlds of Trek and don’t know your TNG from your LLAP. Fortunately, you don’t need to know them all. In fact, your enjoyment shouldn’t be inhibited whatsoever. But if you’re invested in Trek , you deserve an easy way into this sometimes-scary encyclopaedia of terms.

So here’s a brief beginner’s guide to acronyms and abbreviations commonly used by the Star Trek fandom.

What does Star Trek: TOS mean?

Here’s the perfect place to begin.

The ingenuous thing about Trek is that it spans the generations – and in doing so, spans numerous incarnations too. That results in a vast number of ideas, but it can cause a problem because fans need to quickly refer to specific TV shows. Hence “ST: TOS.”

“ST” obviously means Star Trek , and “TOS” simply means “ The Original Series, ” i.e. the three-season show that ran from 1966 to 1969, and starred William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy , DeForest Kelley, and more.

This was even referenced in Star Trek: Lower Decks . Commander Jack Ransom mentions the “TOS” era, and when questioned over its meaning, he slyly says the acronym stands for “Those Old Scientists.” Nicely done, Trek writers!

What does Star Trek: TNG mean?

“TNG” is one of the most famous pieces of Star Trek terminology – and stands for one of its best-loved shows too: The Next Generation , which featured Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard at the helm of the USS Enterprise between 1987 and 1994.

What does Star Trek: DS9 mean?

TNG proved so popular that another Trek series came about in 1993 and ran until 1999: Deep Space Nine , commonly referred to as “DS9” in Star Trek terminology.

Unlike previous iterations of Star Trek , this series was named after the space station that served as the main setting for the programme. From Deep Space Nine, Starfleet could explore the Gamma Quadrant via the Bajoran wormhole located nearby, thus giving viewers wider horizons than the premise might otherwise hint at.

What does Star Trek: VOY mean?

“VOY” means “ Voyager ,” the successful series that ran from 1995, following the cancellation of The Next Generation , and so proved an accompaniment to Deep Space Nine .

What does Star Trek: ENT mean?

You’ll probably have already worked out, based on the standard abbreviations formula within Star Trek terminology (and with some knowledge of Star Trek ‘s most famous ship) that “ENT” is short for “ Enterprise .”

ENT was a prequel to TOS and ran from 2001 (the year Voyager concluded) to 2005.

What is the acronym for Star Trek: Discovery?

In Star Trek terminology, the acronyms apply to all series and even movies, so yes, Star Trek: Discovery (2017 – present) has its own abbreviations. In fact, all the latest crop of Trek incarnations do: Lower Decks is “LD”; Picard is “PIC”; and Prodigy is “PROD”.

And Discovery is “DSC.” However, if you’re talking about it, it’s probably easiest to just call it “DISCO,” same as it is referring to Voyager by its name. These abbreviations are typically used in Star Trek terminology when discussing the wider universe of adventures. Let’s say you’re talking about how the Enterprise appears across different programmes: cite mentions as “(TOS),” “(ENT),” or “(DSC)” – and yes, you generally do so using brackets.

What does LLAP mean in Star Trek terminology?

But obviously, acronyms aren’t just useful when talking about TV series and movies. So “LLAP,” which you might’ve seen emblazoned on posters, clothing, stationery, and more Star Trek products doesn’t actually mention a particular show at all.

In Star Trek terminology, “LLAP” means “Live Long And Prosper,” Spock’s famous saying from TOS. It’s more often than not accompanied by the Vulcan salute; that is, a “V” shape formed using your fingers. You know the one.

It’s a phrase we love so much, we put it on an exclusively-designed knitted scarf – the full “Live Long And Prosper,” not the “LLAP” version, because we want to spread that inclusive message beyond even the massive Trek fandom.

What does IDIC mean in Star Trek terminology?

Here’s another piece of Star Trek terminology we thought was iconic enough to grace our Trek line of products , although you might not know it from the acronym “IDIC,” or even from the full, uncondensed version: “Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations”.

No, you’ll recognise it as the symbol that looks like a silver or grey pyramid pointing into a circle.

It’s known in the Vulcan language as Kol-Ut-Shan. Its philosophical meaning translates across all linguistic boundaries. In ‘Is There in Truth no Beauty?’ (TOS), Miranda and Spock say that “the glory of creation is in its infinite diversity,” and “the ways our differences combine to create meaning and beauty.”

What does GNDN mean in Star Trek terminology?

There are loads of acronyms to learn – perhaps too many. This is only the start of a Trek voyage, and there’s always time to find out more. And so, for now, we’ve saved the best to last.

You might have spotted the “GNDN” label on pipes throughout the original USS Enterprise in TOS. Pipes running through the walls had set colour combinations and coding designations, which helped build up the intricate depth of details put into the ships. And while many did have actual meanings, “GNDN” is really an in-joke. In the TOS Season 2 DVD special feature, Designing the Final Frontier , set designer John Jefferies, finally revealed what this acronym means.

“GNDN” simply means “Goes Nowhere, Does Nothing.”

It’s a brilliant gag, and so unlikely for a show whose horizons stretch out, “to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations – to boldly go where no man has gone before!”

What is your favourite piece of Star Trek terminology? Are there any fun in-jokes that always crack you up? Let us know in the comments section and on social media!

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Star Trek terminology

Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction

By Cassie Ammerman
May 7 th 2009

The eleventh Star Trek movie is opening this Friday, and I don’t know about you, but I’ve already bought my ticket. It’s a reboot of the original series, which means more James Tiberius Kirk , Spock , and the rest of the gang. It’s enough to make me jump up and down in excitement.

Thinking about the various iterations of Star Trek made me think about all my favorite aspects of the series. One of my absolute favorite things about it is the terminology. In his book Brave New Words , Jeff Prucher has a short essay about Star Trek and its influence on the language of science fiction. “Words coined for the series and its spin-offs have stuck in the popular imagination, and are used by people in all walks of life,” he says. And it’s true. So, in celebration of a new Star Trek movie, I decided to put together a list of my top 10 favorite words from the Star Trek universe.

In case this isn’t enough of a Star Trek fix for you, here are some more posts about the series and the upcoming movie: a list of lists (from io9) and Trek for kids (from Time Out Kids ). I’ll probably be back next week with a follow up post, looking at how many of my favorite terms and technologies worked their way into the movie. I’m hoping at least half will show up somewhere. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I’m sure I will!

1. Transporter , n . Transportation device that converts objects or persons to energy, sends that energy to the destination, and reconstitutes the objects/persons back into matter. Transporters cannot beam objects through deflector shields. ( Star Trek Library )

The transporter is one of the most useful inventions of the Star Trek universe. It can get you from point A to point B (and sometimes, inexplicably, point Z during electrical interference) instantaneously. Worried about being torn apart and put back together at the molecular level? Don’t be. Rarely does a transporter user have his DNA scrambled. However, this doesn’t account for the occasional creation of an exact clone caused by glitches in the transporter stream.

2. Tricorder , n . A hand-held Starfleet device combining sensors, records, and built-in computing capability. Issued in a variety of models for engineering, scientific and medical uses. As of 2366, the standard model tricorder sensors could not detect subspace phenomena or neutrino particles. ( Star Trek Library )

Who didn’t want a tricorder as a kid? Something you could wave around, beeping, and then (pointing it at an annoying younger brother) “I’m registering large quantities of methane emissions. Everyone evacuate! He farted!” Or, in a more practical sense, I’d love to have one as an adult. A hand-held device that can detect carbon monoxide, or tumors, or any number of things? Imagine how much easier than a CAT scan that would be.

3. Mind-meld , n . In the Star Trek universe, a telepathic union between two beings; in general use, a deep understanding. Hence mind-melding , adj . 1968 J. M. Lucas Elaan of Troyius ( “Star Trek” script ) (May 23) 40: Mr. Spock, […] he refuses to talk. I’ll need you for the Vulcan mind-meld. ( Brave New Words )

This was an ability I always envied Spock—well, this and the Vulcan nerve pinch. Can you imagine how useful that would be in quieting said annoying younger brothers? The mind-meld is equally neat though; I’d love to know what a whale is thinking ( Star Trek IV , for those of you who are not as nerdy as me).

4. Phaser , n . An energy weapon that fires a beam which can be set to varying degrees of intensity. Also used fig . [in SF, primarily associated with the Star Trek universe.] ( Brave New Words )

Famous phrase from the original series: “Set phasers to stun.” Often followed by a death of some kind, so I’m not sure how good the “stun” setting was… although it’s hard to argue with giving Bones another opportunity to say “He’s dead, Jim.”

5. Stardate , n . According to Gene Roddenberry in “The Making of Star Trek,” stardates were originally created “simply to keep from tying ourselves down to 2265…” and to make clear that Star Trek was set in the future. There wasn’t a method used to calculate the date, but the producers of the original show did keep a rough track of stardates and there was some logic as to how they progressed. However, as the shows aired out of order from the production order, the stardates would sometimes go backwards. To address this problem, Roddenberry formulated a clever explanation that used a bit of scientific double talk to make stardates sound more plausible, i.e. they “adjust for shifts in relative time which occur due to the vessel’s speed and space warp capability…” ( Star Trek Library )

I never knew how they came up with the stardates, and now I’m going to have to pay attention to the new movie and how it does them. Of course, it won’t match up to the original series because the whole plot revolves around alternative futures and time travel, but still. Something to pay attention to!

6. Warp speed , n . In the Star Trek universe, a faster-than-light speed attained by a spaceship using a warp drive; in non- Star Trek use, a very fast speed. [ 1968–69 J. L. Arosete All Our Yesterdays ( “Star Trek” script ): Beam us up. Maximum warp as soon as we are on board.] ( Brave New Words )

I loved the idea that not only would humans one day be able to go at warp speed, but that we would have different levels of warp speed . We could go Warp One if we weren’t really in a hurry, Warp Five if we wanted to get there fairly quickly, and Warp Nine if we were fleeing from a star going nova unexpectedly behind us.

7. Prime Directive , n . The most important rule or law, which must be obeyed above all others. Also in extended use. Often cap . [Popularized by the television show Star Trek .] 1966 B. Sobelman Return of Archons ( “Star Trek” script ) (Dec. 1) 50: KIRK: Landru must die. SPOCK: Our prime directive of non-interference… KIRK: That refers to a living, growing culture. I’m not convinced that this one is. ( Brave New Words )

Every captain needs a rule to rebel against. For the captains of Star Trek (and I mean that in just about every iteration of the series), it’s the prime directive. Kirk, Picard , Janeway and the others are not supposed to interfere in the normal development of a civilization, especially pre-warp civilizations. Yet time and time again, they get drawn into it somehow. Does NASA have a prime directive in place yet? If not, they should start thinking about one.

8. Cloaking device , n . A device which renders something invisible or undetectable. 1968 D. C. Fontana Enterprise Incident ( “Star Trek” script ) (June 13) IV-61: The cloaking device is operating most effectively, sir. And the Commander informed me even their own sensors cannot track a vessel so equipped. ( Brave New Words )

How is it that the Klingons , an alien race whose main identity is that they are warriors, and Romulans , of a similarly martial tradition, were the ones who used cloaking devices most often? That doesn’t seem particularly fair to me.

9. Holodeck , n . A room-sized chamber that creates a complete holographic environment; 1987 Encounter at Farpoint ( “Star Trek” script ) (May 22) 65: Lieutenant Commander Data… now located in Holodeck area 4-J. ( Brave New Words )

The holodeck is famous for malfunctioning, making it someplace I don’t think I’d want to go on a regular basis. Interestingly, the holodeck made its first Star Trek appearance not in The Next Generation , but in the animated series that was on from 1973-74.

10. Redshirt , n . [After the red shirts worn by crewmembers in the television show Star Trek , who were frequently killed after arriving on a new planet] a character who is not portrayed in any depth; an extra; especially one whose main plot function is to be killed. 1985 Major Inconsistency (Usenet: net.startrek) (May 28): You’re right, Redshirts are never allowed to survive an episode. ( Brave New Words )

Whenever an away team was formed in the original series, it always seemed to consist of a mix of Kirk, Dr. McCoy, Scotty, Spock, Uhura, and a poor random ensign. The away teams would change, but there was always that ensign in a bright red uniform, and as soon as you saw him, you knew the unfortunate man was doomed to die in some horrible way. While not a term that was ever used in the series, I’m interested to see if the phenomenon continues in the new movie. And also kind of hopeful that it does. After all, the new movie is supposed to pay homage to all the things we love about Star Trek , right?

Bonus Word: Tribble , n . Origin: unspecified. A small animal characteristically soft, furry, and pleasing to most humanoids (with the exception of Klingons). Tribbles give off a soft purring sound that is soothing to many. They are also asexual, born pregnant, the only determinant of birthing being how much food they consume. ( Star Trek Library )

Admit it, it’s your favorite episode too.

Featured Image Credit: ‘The southern constellation of Carina’ by NASA, ESA and the Hubble SM4 ERO Team, 2009. Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons .

Cassie Ammerman was a Publicity Assistant with OUP from 2007 - 2009.

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Every Star Trek Show And Movie In Chronological Order

As a media phenomenon, "Star Trek" began on September 8, 1966 with the airing of "The Man Trap" (the sixth episode in production order, but the first aired). Originally, the show's writers, including creator Gene Roddenberry, used the concept of "stardates" to ensure the show's actual timeline was left vague; for several episodes, all audiences knew was that "Trek" was set in the future and that the future was a pretty keen place. It wouldn't be until the episode "The Naked Time" (seventh episode produced, fourth aired, first aired on September 29, 1966) that the Gregorian year would be mentioned out loud, and an actual timeline could begin to be constructed.

Since then, "Star Trek" has extrapolated an extensive, centuries long timeline of events, often skipping merrily back and forth through the centuries, adding more and more to the franchises complex chronology. The chronology of "Star Trek" is so complicated that entire books have been published tracking the various shows' and films' events. Because of the constant production of new "Star Trek," these books became dated immediately.

" Star Trek: Strange New Worlds " is set to debut on Paramount+ on May 5, and it is set immediately before the events of the original "Star Trek," making it the third "prequel" series to the original. To keep matters as clear as possible, here is a (very brief, by the standards of "Trek") rundown of "Star Trek" chronology from within its own canon.

NOTE : This list will not necessarily include single episodes wherein characters go back in time, but give an overall timeframe for each individual film and TV show.

1986: Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

Although beginning and ending within the proper chronology of the "Star Trek" future, Leonard Nimoy's 1986 feature film " Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home " is set largely in the earliest point in the franchise's timeline (again, excluding single time travel episodes of any given TV series, wherein Mark Twain, the 1950s, and other eras are regularly visited). In the film, the crew of the Enterprise must go back in time to rescue a pair of humpback whales from extinction in order to appease an enormous, inscrutable space monolith that has been draining future Earth of its oceans, looking for its own kind.

The bulk of "Voyage Home" takes place in 1986, and the film gained a lot of critical and audience attention for its fish-out-of-water humor and light tone; the previous three films had been comparatively dour, downbeat, or cerebral.

2024: Star Trek: Picard (Season 2)

As of this writing, the second season of "Star Trek: Picard" is still being released weekly on Paramount+, so the ultimate conclusion of the story is as yet unknown.

What is known is that the trickster god Q (John De Lancie), a playful villain from "Star Trek: The Next Generation," visited an elderly Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) to warn him of a parallel universe. In this parallel universe, Earth is a genocidal conqueror race that has wiped out most life in the galaxy. Picard must travel back in time, paralleling the story of "Voyage Home" in order to stop the fascist timeline from starting. Thanks to the limited information they have, they travel to the year 2024, and the bulk of the season's action takes place there.

A bit of a continuity error already: In previously mentioned "Trek" canon, the Eugenics Wars — the conflagration that wrought Khan from "Star Trek II" — should have already happened by 2024 (I believe the original date for the Eugenics Wars was 1997), but, in "Picard," they had clearly been delayed. One of the subplots of the second season of "Picard,' however, involves a malevolent genetic engineer, so it looks like the Eugenics Wars may finally be nigh.

2063: Star Trek: First Contact

Although never directly filmed, there are constant references throughout "Star Trek" to World War III, an event that left the entire planet devastated. Despite destitution and technological ruin, an inventor named Zefram Cochran managed to invent an engine that allowed humanity to travel faster than light. This technology, when being tested for the first time in the solar system, attracted the attention of some Vulcans who just happened to be passing by. This was the First Contact mentioned in the title of the 1996 film " Star Trek: First Contact ."

In that film, the characters from "Star Trek: The Next Generation" travel back in time to foil a plot by a malevolent species of cyborgs called The Borg, and find themselves in the year A.D. 2063 where they could witness First Contact themselves. This was the event that essentially kicked off creator Gene Roddenberry's vision of a peaceful future. In meeting intelligent space aliens, a hobbled humanity learned that war was churlish, and that unity as a species was preferable in the face of a suddenly occupied cosmos.

"First Contact" is essentially the "Star Trek" origin story.

2151 - 2155: Star Trek: Enterprise

After first talking to Vulcans, humans were eager to take to the stars and join the galactic community. The conceit of the 2001 TV series " Star Trek: Enterpris e" (originally just called "Enterprise") was that the Vulcans, seeing how illogical and roughhewn humanity still was, encouraged them to stay on Earth for nearly a century before actually taking to the stars. In that century, humanity rebuilt, formed a Starfleet, and constructed its very first long-mission starship, the U.S.S. Enterprise NX-01. The show is about the adventures of the very first humans in space, circa A.D. 2151.

"Enterprise" took place before a lot of established "Trek" tech had been invented. There were transporters, but they weren't entirely safe for use on humans. There were no shields around the ship. There were no food replicators, and the Enterprise required a galley. Most notably, there wasn't a Prime Directive yet, so a lot of mistakes are bound to be made. It wouldn't be until 2161 — according to ancillary revelations — that the Federation would be formed.

2254: The Cage

The unused "Star Trek" pilot has probably gained more canonical traction than any other unused footage from any other work of filmed fiction. "The Cage" didn't air in its complete form until 1986, 20 years after its making. Previously, footage from "The Cage" was incorporated into a two-part "Star Trek" episode called "The Menagerie" (November of 1966).

In the pilot, we first meet Capt. Christopher Pike (Jeffrey Hunter) and his ship the U.S.S. Enterprise NCC-1701. We were first introduced to Spock as well, although Spock would be the only character carried over into the second pilot that was eventually used. Majel Barrett played the Enterprise's first officer in "The Cage," and she would go on to play multiple other roles throughout "Star Trek," including Nurse Chapel, M'Ress, Lwaxana Troi, and the voice of the ship's computer.

The events of "The Cage" would also be revisited in the second season of "Star Trek: Discovery."

2256 - 2258: Star Trek: Discovery (seasons 1 and 2)

Another cataclysm that had been mentioned multiple times throughout "Star Trek" was a war between the Klingons and the Federation. The first season of "Star Trek: Discovery," which debuted on CBS All Access (now Paramount+) in November of 2017, dramatized those events explicitly, as seen through the eyes of the U.S.S. Discovery. This new ship was a science vessel that had figured out a way to tap into a galaxy-wide network of near-undetectable, microscopic spores into order to teleport anywhere in the galaxy instantaneously.

After surviving the Klingon war, the Discovery teamed up with the U.S.S. Enterprise while it was still being captained by Christopher Pike (now played by Anson Mount), putting the events of "Discovery" immediately after the original pilot. There were a lot — and I mean a LOT — of narrative excuses as to why the high-tech Discovery (realized with late-2010s special effects) didn't match the boxier, monochromatic world of "The Cage."

The show's writers also needed to come up with an organic reason why a ship that can teleport — a technology that would have fundamentally changed the world of "Star Trek" — was never mentioned in any of the "Trek" shows made from 1966 until 2017. As such, at the end of the second season of "Discovery," the ship was thrown almost 1,000 years into the future in order to outrun an insidious computer intelligence that would spread throughout the galaxy if knowledge of it was passed around. As such, the Discovery more or less deleted itself from existence. As panicked, narrative ass-saving measures go, it's a 7.

2258: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

The appearance of Capt. Pike on "Discovery" was so well-received that Paramount+ elected to go back to the Enterprise, bring back the characters from "The Cage," lump in a few familiar faces from the 1966 "Star Trek," and make " Strange New Worlds ," a series that takes place only eight years prior to the events of the original TV series.

"Strange New Worlds" brings back Anson Mount as Pike, as well as a young Spock, a very young Uhura, a young Nurse Chapel, one of Khan's ancestors, and Dr. M'Benga, who showed up in a few episodes if the 1966 show. It also, notably, will not have season-long story arcs, but a single-hour episodic structure, standing in contrast with most of the other Paramount+-era "Star Treks," with "Lower Decks" being the proud exception.

2258 (KELVIN): Star Trek (2009)

Thanks to "Star Trek," the notion of parallel universes is quite well-known to the public. Incidentally, it's been quite odd watching the films and TV shows in the Marvel universe slow-walk the notion of a multiverse over the course of multiple installments when we've already seen Spock with a goatee.

Thanks to complicated studio politics, there was a split in Paramount in the mid-2000s, and the Paramount side of the schism — when wanting to make a new "Star Trek" feature film — was legally required to make something distinguishable from the TV shows. Enter J.J. Abrams and his 2009 feature film " Star Trek " which takes place at the same time as "Strange New Worlds," but in a parallel universe where the characters from the 1966 show now look like a new cast, the Enterprise looks brighter and sleeker, and everything is more intense and action-packed.

This new timeline would be created when a villain went back in time interfered with James T. Kirk right when he was born.

2259 (KELVIN): Star Trek Into Darkness

Although taking place far before the events of 1982's "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," J.J. Abrams' " Star Trek Into Darkness " (2013) drew a lot of story parallels to the Nicholas Meyer film. Taking place almost immediately after the 2009 film, "Into Darkness" involved the character of Khan who, in the timeline of the 1966 series, wouldn't be resurrected from cryogenic sleep for a few years hence. In "Into Darkness," he was awakened early, became involved in a plot to smuggle other cryogenically frozen compatriots.

Originally, the Eugenics Wars were meant to have started in the 1990s, but — as "Star Trek" persisted, and the '90s came and went in the real world — that timeline had to be altered several times. The timeline of the Eugenics Wars in "Into Darkness" are a little unclear. As we saw above in "Star Trek: Picard," we know that they'll now take place sometime after 2024.

2263 (KELVIN): Star Trek Beyond

In Justin Lin's " Star Trek Beyond " (2016), Kirk (Chris Pine) laments that his adventures have already become episodic. It's unusual that the 2009 film and the 2013 sequel are essentially origin stories about the young Kirk coming into his own, and "Beyond" skips ahead to the point where he's already tired of being on "Star Trek." We missed the actual "five year mission" part!

Another interesting wrinkle in "Beyond" is that it alludes to a time somewhere after "Star Trek: Enterprise": The evil Kroll (Idris Elba) was, in fact, a human captain named Edison who led his own starship in the "Enterprise" era. Before the film, he was mutated into an evil alien. "Beyond," in explicitly mentioning the Xindi wars and other events from "Enterprise," anchors the Kelvin films a little more solidly into the "Trek" timeline.

2265 - 2269: Star Trek

After "The Cage" was abandoned by Paramount, the studio and Gene Roddenberry reworked the show into the 1966 program we all know and love. As mentioned, Spock was the only character carried over from the original pilot, and "Star Trek" now featured William Shatner as Captain Kirk and a host of new characters besides. "Star Trek" began as a horror show — there are many monsters and scare moments in the first season — eventually tackling ethical issues in a sci-fi fantasy context.

"Star Trek" ran for three seasons, ending its initial run on June 3, 1969. Thanks to the gods of syndication, "Star Trek" would remain in reruns for the following decade, building up interest, spawning Trek conventions, and allowing the show to grow into a full-blown cultural phenomenon.

2269 - 2270: Star Trek: The Animated Series

In the opening credits of " Star Trek ," Shatner brazenly informed the audiences that the U.S.S. Enterprise was on a five-year mission. Given that the show was canned after only three years, there was more mission left to witness. In 1973, Roddenberry teamed up with Filmation to make an animated "Star Trek" series that would, by dint of its two seasons, ostensibly complete the five-year mission. Chekov (Walter Koenig) was absent from this show, but other unusual aliens took his place, including a cat woman named M'Ress and Mr. Aryx, a being with three arms. The animated format allowed for wilder ideas, aliens, and ships to be employed, and there are stories featuring flying serpents, aliens made of plants, an undersea episode, and a story with a 50-foot Spock.

This 1973 version of "Star Trek," in only running 30 minutes per episode, cut out a lot of extraneous character moments from the traditional "Trek" structure, and got straight to the story. It's a far more efficient show than the 1966 program, and it has a passionate following of fans.

2273: Star Trek: The Motion Picture

The decade of syndication, "Trek" conventions, and the financial success of George Lucas' sci-fi serial epic " Star Wars " in 1977 led Paramount to start thinking about restarting "Star Trek" on TV. A project was put into production that was to be called "Star Trek Phase II," and would have reunited several familiar "Trek" characters as well as introduce some new ones. For various reasons, "Phase II" was abandoned and elements of it were transformed into what would become the 1979 theatrical release " Star Trek: The Motion Picture ."

If all you had prior to "The Motion Picture" was a failed, low-budget TV show and a little-regarded animated series, this movie would feel grand in ways that you couldn't previously imagine. A lot of time was devoted to the size of the Enterprise, the importance of the characters, and mind-bending notions about the unending vastness of the cosmos. Here was a "Star Trek" film that is often compared to 1968's "2001: A Space Odyssey." Good gracious was it enormous.

"The Motion Picture" was successful enough to warrant a sequel, but not so successful that Roddenberry was welcomed back. Remember that detail when we get to "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

2285: Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

2285 was a significant year. In the events of Nicholas Meyer's "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" (1982), a thawed out Khan — the version played by Ricardo Montalbán from the 1967 "Star Trek" episode "The Space Seed," not the version played by Benedict Cumberbatch in "Star Trek Into Darkness" — hijacked a starship called the U.S.S. Reliant and set out on a mission of revenge against Admiral Kirk. The good admiral, we find, had forgotten about a lot of irresponsible actions taken in his past and had to face them head on just as he was looking down the barrel of old age. "Star Trek II" didn't end well for Kirk or for Spock. In that film, Spock famously dies.

Not wasting any time, however, Kirk and co. sprang back into action in Leonard Nimoy's " Star Trek III: The Search for Spock " (1984), which picks up immediately after "Khan" ended. Thanks to the fineries of Vulcan psychic powers, and a high tech radiation wave that can generate life out of nothing, Spock could potentially be resurrected, and Kirk hijacks the Enterprise in order to help a friend. In so doing, Kirk destroys the ship, rouses the ire of some Klingons, loses his son (killed by said Klingons), and possibly destroys his career in Starfleet. Oops.

Perhaps one of the reasons "Star Trek IV" (which began in 2286) was so popular was that it was the first "Trek" film to end on a wholly positive note.

2287: Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Often cited as the worst of the "Trek" movies, William Shatner's "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" (1989) starts with a promising concept, but was undone by a bad script hastily written during a strike, and a repeatedly cut FX budget. The film ultimately feels flimsy and ill-considered, not able to truly confront the interesting ideas it brings up. Shatner has apologized for the poor quality of his film, which was fraught with production troubles.

In "Frontier," a newly-built Enterprise is hijacked by Spock's half-brother Sybok (Laurence Luckinbill), who is leading a cult of brainwashed followers, freed from pain by their leader's psychic powers. He seeks a mysterious planet at the center of the galaxy where he believes God physically lives. The final frontier of the title is not space, but the soul, religion, or spirituality. Many "Trek" purists will point out that seeking the center of the galaxy, and finding a deity there, is similar to an Animated Series episode called "The Magicks of Megas-Tu," wherein Kirk found the planet at the center of the galaxy is actually home to Satan.

Note : "The Magicks of Megas-Tu" is far better than "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier."

2293: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

Made after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Nicholas Meyer's " Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country " (1991) was very clearly a metaphor for the end of the Cold War. In it, the Klingon Empire is crippled by the accidental explosion of one of their moons, leaving the entire government requiring Federation help. "Country" is about how difficult it is to give up being enemies, especially when so much of one's identity is tied in with hate. There's an assassination, a investigation, a trial, a prison break ... It's one of the best "Trek" movies.

One might glean from the title of the previous film in the series that the entire Kirk era was meant to end with "The Final Frontier." One might also glean that the poor reception and bad box office of "Final Frontier" led to one last go 'round. Fans may be relieved that the final feature film in the Kirk era was actually, y'know, a good one.

2364 - 2370: Star Trek: The Next Generation

Throughout the 1970s, Gene Roddenberry made tours on the convention circuit, talking about his vision for "Star Trek," and interacting with fans who were inspired by the peace, diplomacy, and calm that "Star Trek" has written into its DNA. Looking back over the 1966 show, notions of optimism and diplomacy are present, but they are mixed in with a lot of violence, sexism, and other now-backward ideas. After Roddenberry was essentially barred from involvement on the "Star Trek" feature films, he decided to make a purer, better version of his old show, set another 80 years in the future, and even more devoted to intelligence and diplomacy than ever before. Hence, 1987's " Star Trek: The Next Generation ."

Taking place on a new ship, the Enterprise NCC-1701-D, and featuring an all new cast, the update of "Star Trek" started a little clumsily, but eventually found its stride to become the best "Star Trek" has offered to date. The tech was more convincing than it ever was, and it featured professional, adult characters who deal with crises with stiff upper lips. More so, it more frequently addressed questions about the meaning of life that humanity will always, it seems, wrestle with.

"Next Generation" last for seven full seasons, and its characters ended up occupying just as large a place in the pop consciousness as the characters from the 1966 TV series.

Yes, "Next Generation" went back in time several times.

In terms of chronology, "Next Generation" overlapped with...

2369 - 2375: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

" Deep Space Nine " (1993 – 1999) was an unusual animal in many ways. It was the first time two "Star Trek" shows would run concurrently, and would take place over the same time frame (Picard from "Next Generation" appeared in the show's pilot). It was not about trekking at all, as it took place aboard a space station. It was also not set in the world of the Federation, often revolving alien species who were not offered protection from the organization. It was a show of healing and animosity. Of war and death. It started with an ensemble of seven or eight people, and eventually expanded to include about 30 main characters. "Deep Space Nine" is "Star Trek" via a Russian historical novel.

When taken as a unit, "Next Generation" and "Deep Space Nine," both excellent in their own rights, become a complementary mass that is greater than their sum. The strength of diplomacy vs. its breakdown. The avoidance of war vs. the involvement in it. The absence of fascism vs. its inevitable regrowth.

Yes, "Deep Space Nine" went back in time several times.

"Deep Space Nine's" chronology would overlap with "Star Trek: Voyager," as well as with...

2371: Star Trek: Generations

The 1994 feature film " Star Trek: Generations " was a strange excursion. Although "Next Generation" had already run for seven years, "Generations" was still insistent on "passing the torch" from Kirk to Picard, and it bent over backwards to create the means by which Kirk and Picard, separated by 87 years of history, could meet face-to-face. It was the fan crossover no Trekkie wanted. As such, "Generations" is a flimsy affair, speeding through a ridiculous plot about a mobile temporal nexus that serves as Heaven for the people it scoops up along its path.

Trekkies were even-headed enough to realize that Kirk and Picard weren't meant to meet, and that "Next Generation" was its own entity. The decision to aggressively tie the two shows even more closely together was just baffling.

Notable too: The Enterprise-D was destroyed in "Generations," and would be replaced by a big ol' ugly thing for three additional feature films.

2371 - 2378: Star Trek: Voyager

" Star Trek: Voyager " debuted in 1995 and ran concurrently with "Deep Space Nine" both on television and within the chronology of "Star Trek." To cleverly avoid any interference between the two shows, however — "Deep Space Nine" would eventually become embroiled in a galaxy-spanning war — "Voyager" was given a "Lost in Space"-style premise wherein the title ship was thrown all the way across the galaxy to a portion of space that has never been explored by Starfleet, and could otherwise only be reached by 70 years of space travel.

While the premise would perhaps lead a viewer to believe that "Voyager" was going to be about resource allocation and survival, it quickly became more about the Borg, a character played by actress Jeri Ryan, and Captain Janeway's (Kate Mulgrew) steady slide into autocracy.

"Voyager" struggled with ratings for years, but still managed to last seven seasons like "Next Gen" and "Deep Space" before it. The final episode of "Voyager," a time travel story called " Endgame ," would air in March of 2001.

2375: Star Trek: Insurrection

While "Voyager" and "Deep Space Nine" were running concurrently on television, the "Next Generation" crew were yukking it up in the overwhelmingly mediocre 1998 Jonathan Frakes film " Star Trek: Insurrection ." Like "The Final Frontier," "Insurrection" can be seen straining against the limits of its budget, with bad CGI, bland costumes, and locations clearly found in the California mountains. The cheapness of "Star Trek" has often served as a boon for its story, forcing writers to insert interesting and challenging ideas into their plywood sets. "Insurrection" has no such ideas, asking the ethical question of forced relocation, but never feeling threatening, and offering a magical curative radiation that would require study and collection.

Although one can admit this: "Insurrection" captures the tone of the "Next Generation" TV series far better than any of the other movies in this part of the series. It's a pity, though, that after the grand finale of "Next Generation," we find ourselves with suck lackluster films.

Speaking of lackluster films ...

2379: Star Trek: Nemesis

Released in 2002, Stuart Baird's " Star Trek: Nemesis " was poised to be the final gasp for "Star Trek." "Enterprise" was already taking the franchise in a new direction, and the "NextGen" cast was clearly too tired to handle a continued barrage of poorly planned action movies, and thrillers that didn't resemble the show they were inspired by. "Nemesis" is dark and action-packed and violent and takes a lot of structural cues from "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan."

In it, Tom Hardy plays a character named Shinzon who is, in fact, a clone of Captain Picard, grown in a Romulan lab, and eventually discarded into a Romulan mine. Shinzon escaped the mine, built an army, and is poised to take a giant death ship into Federation space to revenge all over people. "Nemesis" is also the film in which Data (Brent Spiner) dies, and Captain Picard drives a dune buggy.

The sentiment of the time was reminiscent of T.S. Eliot's " The Hollow Men ." This is the way "Next Gen" ends. Not with a bang, but a whimper.

Worry not. There will be further whimpers for the NextGen crew.

2380 - ?: Star Trek: Lower Decks

Named after a seventh season episode of "Next Generation," and taking place in line with the end of "Nemesis" and "Voyager," " Star Trek: Lower Decks " debuted on Paramount+ in 2020 as part of a slew of "Star Trek"-related indicia that the company was desperate to exploit. And while the all-your-eggs-in-one basket approach to TV production affected by Paramount led to stinkers like "Discovery" and "Picard," it did lead to this surprisingly good animated program.

One of the more appealing aspects of "Star Trek" is that it's essentially a series of workplace shows. The characters are typically vocation-forward, and take their duty to their ship very seriously. Where a "Star Trek" character works speaks powerfully to who they are. "Lower Decks" follows the people who have the worst possible jobs on a Starfleet vessel, often tasked with cleaning holodecks, sanitizing floors, and arranging widgets for the senior staff. It's rough going for ensigns. They sleep in the hallway and are typically not deemed important enough to include on more exciting missions. What's more, the central ship on "Lower Decks" is a tiny, crappy ship with substandard tech. Surely such jobs would exist in "Star Trek."

"Lower Decks" is eager to make "Trek" references, and is clearly made by people who understand "Trek's" ethos, but who still have a raunchy sense of humor. The future is here. And it's still crappy for those on the bottom.

2383: Star Trek: Prodigy

Produced under the auspices of Nickelodeon, " Star Trek: Prodigy " (2021) was the first Trek series to be made explicitly with a younger audience in mind. The series follows a ragtag group of alien youths as they flee a prison mine and discover an abandoned Starfleet vessel called the U.S.S. Protostar. On board is an instructional hologram of Captain Janeway from "Voyager," and she teaches the kids how to behave like Starfleet officers, the importance of duty and compassion, and how their trauma does not define them. The design and the creatures are more reminiscent of "Star Wars" than "Star Trek" (the series features an evil emperor and his powerful masked servant, invoking the Emperor and Darth Vader), but it certainly functions as a generic space adventure. The "Star Trek" stuff is mere window dressing.

It's almost disappointing to include "Prodigy" on this timeline, as one of the show's central mysteries — at least for the first part of its first season, the only part to have aired as of this writing — is when and where it takes place. It was possible that "Prodigy" took place centuries or even millennia beyond the known Trek universe. The last we saw, however, the real Captain Janeway is still alive, giving "Prodigy" a known place in Trek chronology.

2399: Star Trek: Picard (Season 1)

After nearly 20 years of a world without Picard, Paramount+ convinced Patrick Stewart to reprise his role in a new show named for him. " Star Trek: Picard " debuted on Paramount+ in 2020, taking place further in the future than any other Trek show to date. In the timeline of "Picard," the Federation had become soured by xenophobia and openly discouraged the evacuation of Romulus, historically an enemy world, but now in dire straits after their sun went supernova (something something J.J. Abrams). Picard had left Starfleet in disgust, and had now retired to his winery.

The story of the first season is too convoluted to get into here, needless to say it involved a Romulan secret society, a planet of androids, a reclaimed Borg cube, and a robot Cthulhu. I'm not kidding.

It's a pity that "Picard" did not roll with its future setting more, establishing new tech or positive sea changes in the "Trek" universe. Instead, everything is devoted to a chewy, awful story about androids. Indeed, by the end, Picard himself would have his consciousness shunted into an android body. What a snore.

History [ ]

Originally, Star Trek was a product of Desilu Studios as created by Gene Roddenberry in a first draft series proposal " Star Trek is... ", dated 11 March 1964 .

Beginning with a single pilot episode, " The Cage ", filmed in 1964, Star Trek was not placed on the schedule of the NBC network until a second pilot episode, " Where No Man Has Gone Before ", was produced in 1965 .

Star Trek officially went into production on April 21, 1966 and ran for three seasons until it was canceled in 1969 . Four years later, the series returned to NBC as a Saturday morning animated series which ran from 1973 to 1974 .

No new production of Star Trek took place until 1979 , when Star Trek: The Motion Picture took the franchise into feature films , which have continued to be produced periodically since. Star Trek did not return to television until 1987 with the debut of Star Trek: The Next Generation .

Following three more spin-off productions, the 2005 – 2006 TV season was the first since 1987 without a new Star Trek series being broadcast, though all series remain in syndication.

As a result of a 2005 split between the former Viacom and CBS , Star Trek television productions fell under the umbrella of CBS Studios . During this period, films continued to be produced and distributed by Paramount Pictures under a licensing agreement. A thirteenth film was released in 2016 . CBS and Viacom were reunited and merged under the name ViacomCBS in late 2019 , reuniting the film and television branches of Star Trek . In 2022 ViacomCBS rebranded itself as Paramount Global , or simply Paramount.

After 12 years off the air, the franchise returned to the airwaves with its first streaming series, Star Trek: Discovery , which premiered in the fall of 2017 . This also saw the franchise expand into companion series, like the aftershow After Trek , which premiered right after the Discovery .

Currently, licensees of Star Trek products ( reference works , novels and collectibles ) include Art Asylum toys, Pocket Books , and IDW Publishing . Older licenses for previously produced material belong to numerous companies.

Conception and setting [ ]

"Star Trek was an attempt to say that Humanity will reach maturity and wisdom on the day that it begins not just to tolerate, but take a special delight in differences in ideas and differences in life forms."

"We believed that the often ridiculed mass audience is sick of this world's petty nationalism and all its old ways and old hatreds... and that people are not only willing but anxious to think beyond those petty beliefs that have for so long have kept mankind divided."

– Gene Roddenberry

The stories in Star Trek mostly revolve around the experiences and adventures of the Humans and aliens who serve under Starfleet Command , the space-borne peacekeeping, exploratory, and humanitarian armada of the United Federation of Planets .

Many of the conflicts and political dimensions of Star Trek are allegories of contemporary cultural realities. Star Trek: The Original Series addressed social-political issues of the 1960s, just as later spin-offs have confronted issues of their respective decades. [1] Issues depicted in the various series include war and peace , personal loyalty, authoritarianism, imperialism, economics, racism , religion , Human rights , sexism , and the role of technology . [2]

Roddenberry intended the show to have a progressive political agenda reflective of the emerging counter-culture and the civil rights movement of the 1960s, [3] though he was not fully forthcoming to the networks about this. He wanted Star Trek to show a future of what Humanity might evolve to become, if it would learn from the lessons of the past, most specifically by ending violence. An extreme example is the alien race known as the Vulcans , who suffered a violent history but learned to finally achieve peace by suppressing their emotions and by adopting the guiding principles of logic . Roddenberry also placed great emphasis on an anti-war message in Star Trek , depicting the United Federation of Planets, a vast interstellar alliance founded on the enlightened principles of liberty , equality , justice, progress, and peaceful co-existence, as an idealistic version of the United Nations . [4] (X) His efforts were opposed by the network because of concerns over marketability, as they opposed Roddenberry's insistence that the USS Enterprise have a racially diverse crew.

Production history [ ]

The original series [ ], spin-off series [ ].

Star Trek films

Paramount, 1979–1991
Producers: Gene Roddenberry, Robert Sallin , Harve Bennett , Steven-Charles Jaffe , Ralph Winter
Directors: Robert Wise , Nicholas Meyer , Leonard Nimoy , William Shatner
Paramount, 1994–2002
Producers: Rick Berman
Directors: David Carson , Jonathan Frakes , Stuart Baird
Paramount, 2009–2016
Producers: J.J. Abrams , Damon Lindelof
Directors: J.J. Abrams, Justin Lin
CBS Television Studios/Paramount+

Aftershows [ ]

CBS Television Studios/CBS All Access, 2017–2018

The Ready Room

CBS Television Studios/ Facebook Live , 2019–

Podcasts [ ]

Engage: The Official Star Trek Podcast

CBS Television Studios, 2016–2018

Star Trek: The Pod Directive

CBS Television Studios, 2020–

Unproduced projects [ ]

See: Undeveloped Star Trek projects

Overseas adaptations [ ]

Star Trek has been aired around the world throughout its run of television and film series. Most often, it has been dubbed into the native language of the larger population countries in question, while other, smaller population countries subtitled the productions and kept the original language tracks. During this time, the titles, characters, and so forth have been changed as they move from language to language.

Licensed media [ ]

Floor tile in the NBC gift shop at 30 Rock

Blu-ray Discs
Collectibles
Reference works

External links [ ]

StarTrek.com , the official Star Trek website
The official Star Trek YouTube channel at YouTube
Star Trek at Wikipedia
Star Trek spin-off fiction at Wikipedia
Star Trek at BBC.co.uk
2 Daniels (Crewman)

More to Explore
Series & Movies

The Origins of 11 Famous Star Trek Lines

Few franchises have had the cultural impact of the various Star Trek television series and movies, and nowhere is that more evident than in the snippets of dialogue that have become a part of the American vernacular—and in some cases, found their way abroad, too. Here are 11 of the most notable Star Trek catchphrases, as well as a little more information about their origins.

1. "Live Long and Prosper"

The Vulcan greeting and the finger-separating hand gesture that accompanies it first appeared in the second season of Star Trek: The Original Series , during an episode titled “Amok Time.” Spock himself (actor Leonard Nimoy) has made no secret of the fact that the gesture and phrase were his idea, and that he based them on Orthodox Jewish blessings he remembered from his childhood. In the Jewish blessing, the position of the fingers forms the Hebrew letter “Shin,” which represents the name “Shaddai” (Almighty God). Nimoy put his own spin on the traditional gesture by holding up just one hand (instead of both) and changing up the verbal blessing slightly.

2. "Highly Illogical..."

While Spock never shied away from questioning the logic of those around him—usually Kirk—it wasn't until the second season that he took things up a notch and deemed the actions of the native inhabitants of planet Omega IV “highly illogical” in the episode titled “The Omega Glory.” Previously, it had always just been “illogical” or, in rare cases, “most illogical,” but it took a pair of natives attacking Kirk in a jail cell for Spock to pair his trademark raised-eyebrow reaction with the term “highly illogical.” The phrase would then be repeated in several more episodes, as well as the subsequent films and J.J. Abrams' reboot of the franchise.

Bonus: “Highly Illogical” was also the name of Leonard Nimoy's 1993 music album featuring several songs he recorded in the 1960s (including “The Ballad of Bilbo Baggins”) as well as a few new tunes.

3. "Beam Me Up, Scotty"

One of the most interesting aspects of this phrase—a request directed at Chief Engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott for transport back to the USS Enterprise—is that it was never actually uttered in any of the Star Trek television series or movies. More often than not, the command was akin to “Three to beam up” or more directly, “Beam them up,” with the closest approximation being “Beam us up, Scotty” in a few episodes of the Star Trek animated series. However, William Shatner did say this line while reading the audio version of his novel Star Trek: The Ashes of Eden .

4. "I'm A Doctor, Not A..."

Everyone knows that Dr. Leonard McCoy is not an engineer, a coal miner, or an escalator, but that never stopped him from reminding his fellow crew members. The first time DeForest Kelley uttered his famous catchphrase as we know it was in a first-season episode titled “The Devil in the Dark.” In that episode, McCoy saw fit to let Kirk know that he was a doctor, not a brick-layer. It's worth noting that an earlier episode, “The Corbomite Maneuver," had him asking Capt. Kirk, “What am I, a doctor or a moon-shuttle conductor?” but it wasn't until much later in the season that we got the full line that would later be heard in just about every subsequent series, as well as the Star Trek films. The line even made it into J.J. Abrams' 2009 reboot, with Karl Urban (as McCoy) exclaiming, “I'm a doctor, not a physicist!”

5. "Make It So"

Captain Jean-Luc Picard's signature line was a part of Star Trek: The Next Generation from the very start, with actor Patrick Stewart uttering what would become his character's most memorable catchphrase in the pilot episode, “Encounter at Farpoint.” The episode was written by Gene Roddenberry himself, so it's likely that he wrote the line for Picard, though the phrase has been in use for quite a while in military circles as a way to tell someone to proceed with a command.

6. "To Boldly Go Where No Man Has Gone Before..."

The infinitive-splitting opening narration for each episode of Star Trek: The Original Series (with the exception of the pilot episodes) was famously recited by William Shatner, but the actual origins of the line are uncertain at best. Some reports suggest that it was inspired by a 1958 White House press booklet promoting the space program, though some have speculated that it came from a statement made by explorer James Cook following an expedition to Newfoundland. Writer Samuel Peeples, who authored the pilot episode “Where No Man Has Gone Before,” is often credited with the decision to make the phrase such a significant part of the series. The line was eventually repeated—with a few minor tweaks—in each iteration of the series and films.

7. "Khaaannnn!"

Possibly the most meme-friendly line of dialogue ever to come out of the Star Trek universe, this scream of rage originated in (no surprise here) Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan . Left marooned on a dead planet by the evil villain Khan then taunted about his predicament, Kirk let loose with a primal roar—and the rest was viral-video history.

8. "I'm Givin' Her All She's Got, Captain!"

Much like “Beam me up, Scotty,” this famous catchphrase often associated with USS Enterprise Chief Engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott in Star Trek: The Original Series was never said in this exact form by actor James Doohan in the series or subsequent films. The closest approximation is a line in the second-season episode “The Changeling,” when Kirk asks Scotty to divert more power to the ship's shields. Scotty responds with, “Giving them all we got.” However, Doohan did utter every word of the famous line as part of a cameo in 1993's Loaded Weapon , in which he turns up as a panicky police officer trying to fix a coffee machine. Similarly, Simon Pegg used the same line “I'm givin' her all she's got, Captain!” in 2009's Star Trek reboot, in which he plays a young Montgomery Scott.

9. "Nuclear Wessels"

Russian crew member Pavel Andreievich Chekov's inability to pronounce the letter “V” became a recurring joke after the character was introduced in the second season of Star Trek: The Original Series as the ship's navigator. While it made for some funny moments throughout the series and subsequent movies, one of the most memorable pronunciation gaffes occurred during Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home , when Chekov begins asking passers-by in 1980s San Francisco where he can find “nuclear wessels.” Even though Walter Koenig had been playing the character for almost 20 years before The Voyage Home hit theaters, the two-word line soon became indelibly connected with his portrayal of the character.

10. "Resistance Is Futile"

This famous line was first uttered by robotic aliens The Borg in the epic third-season finale of Star Trek: The Next Generation , titled “Best of Both Worlds, Part 1.” Not only did the 1990 episode offer up one of the greatest cliffhangers in television history, but it also coined a phrase that would live forever in the nightmares of fans—mainly because it was recycled for use in countless other series and films down the road.

11. "Set Phasers To Stun"

It was established early on in Star Trek: The Original Series that the phasers used by the crew of USS Enterprise had a “stun” setting (as mentioned in “The Man Trap” episode), and both Kirk and Spock often found themselves instructing their crewmates to use the non-lethal capabilities of their standard-issue weapons. However, it wasn't until the second season of Star Trek: The Animated Series that we first heard Kirk issue the command “Set phasers to stun.” The line eventually became an oft-repeated order in subsequent series, turning up in both Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: The Next Generation , as well as many of the movies (including 2009's reboot).

This article originally appeared in 2013.

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How To Watch All Star Trek TV Shows In Timeline Order

Every star trek movie in chronological order, to me, william shatner’s movie star trek v is great comfort food.

Star Trek's timeline is a complex tapestry that spans over a thousand years, filled with time travel and alternate realities.
Star Trek: Enterprise chronicles the pioneering voyages of Captain Jonathan Archer, setting the stage for the United Federation of Planets.
Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine continue the legacy of the original series, shaping the 24th century era.

Star Trek has been one of the premiere science fiction franchises in the world for nearly 60 years, spanning over a dozen TV series consisting of 900+ episodes, and 13 feature films with more on the way. Star Trek' s Prime Timeline now encompasses a thousand years of the United Federation of Planets and Starfleet seeking out strange new worlds, and boldly going where no one has gone before in the 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th, and 32nd centuries.

Star Trek has rarely told its stories in a straight, chronological line; time travel tropes, alternate realities, and massive jumps into the future are all commonplace. Star Trek is a multiverse of myriad realities, including an alternate Mirror Universe. The Star Trek timeline is a rich tapestry of compelling characters and science fiction parables - and it's still going strong.

Here is a definitive guide to Star Trek' s timeline, primarily centering on the Prime Universe's Star Trek TV series and feature films in chronological order, including the alternate Kelvin Timeline of J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movies where noted.

An Untitled Star Trek Origin movie reportedly set "decades before" J.J. Abrams' Star Trek (2009) is in development, and may end up preceding this entire chronology.

The Star Trek TV franchise has existed for 57 years and consists of 12 shows (and counting). Here's how to watch them all in timeline order.

28 Star Trek: Enterprise

(2151-2155).

Star Trek: Enterprise is, chronologically, the first Star Trek series in the timeline (although technically the 6th produced) chronicling the pioneering 22nd-century voyages of Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) and the NX-01 Enterprise. Archer's Enterprise is Starfleet's first Warp 5-capable starship, which allowed the NX-01 to make pivotal First Contact missions and lay the groundwork for the creation of the United Federation of Planets. Star Trek: Enterprise 's 4 seasons only depict the first few years of Archer's 10-year saga that ends with the first Captain of the Enterprise helping to found the Federation in 2161.

Star Trek: Enterprise

Not available

27 Star Trek: The Original Series - "The Cage"

"The Cage" is the original Star Trek pilot that was rejected by NBC. However, "The Cage" is a canonical story set 2 years before Star Trek: Discovery season 1 and 12 years before Star Trek: The Original Series . Set in 2254, "The Cage" sees Captain Christopher Pike (Jeffrey Hunter) and the USS Enterprise lured to Talos IV, where Pike is held captive the planet's illusion-casting inhabitants. Star Trek: The Original Series turned "The Cage" into a two-part episode titled "The Menagerie", and "The Cage" also laid the foundation for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

26 Star Trek: Discovery Seasons 1 and 2

(2256-2258).

Star Trek: Discovery begins with a disastrous meeting between Starfleet and the Klingon Empire in 2256, which leads to a long, bloody war that nearly cost the Federation its soul. Centering on Commander Micheal Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), Discovery deals with the personal prices of war, as well as the themes of redemption and empathy.

Star Trek: Discovery season 1 depicted the Klingon War, while Discovery season 2 brought in USS Enterprise Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount). When faced with a genocidal artificial intelligence called Control, the crew of the USS Discovery realize the only way to save all organic life in the universe would be to jump to the 32nd century, permanently leaving Star Trek: Discovery' s original 23rd century era behind.

Star Trek: Discovery season 1 also ventured to the 23rd century MIrror Universe for a multi-episode arc.

Star Trek: Discovery

25 star trek, (kelvin timeline 2233/kelvin timeline 2258/2387).

Directed by J.J. Abrams, Star Trek is a reboot that spawns the alternate reality known as the Kelvin Timeline. Star Trek 's main story is set in 2258 of the parallel reality , but the film's branching timeline is made possible by the supernova of the Romulan sun in 2387 in the Prime Universe, which Ambassador Spock (Leonard Nimoy) is unable to prevent.

The Romulan villain Nero (Eric Bana) time travels back to 2233, and his attack on the USS Kelvin ignites an all-new reality that changes the lives of Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) and the crew of the USS Enterprise. After Kirk and the Enterprise defeat Nero, they set forth into the great unknown of their new reality.

In the Kelvin Timeline, Kirk and his friends become the crew of the USS Enterprise roughly 7 years before Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and his crew take command of the Enterprise in Star Trek 's Prime Universe.

Star Trek (2009)

24 star trek into darkness, (kelvin timeline 2259).

Set a year after Star Trek 's events, Star Trek Into Darkness sees the crew of the Starship Enterprise take on Khan Noonien Singh (Benedict Cumberbatch), whose life has also been massively altered in the Kelvin Timeline. Rather than being discovered by the Enterprise in 2267, Khan's derelict ship was discovered much earlier by Starfleet's Section 31, led by the corrupt Admiral Alexander Marcus (Peter Weller). Marcus attempts to use Khan to militarize Starfleet and wage war with the Klingons, but Captain Kirk and the Enterprise defeat both Marcus and Khan.

Star Trek Into Darkness remakes and reverses key elements of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , which takes place 26 years later in the Prime Timeline.

Star Trek Into Darkness

With 13 entries in the Star Trek movie series from 1979-2006, there are a couple of ways to watch the films chronologically.

23 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

(2259-onward).

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds begins in 2259, months after Star Trek: Discovery season 2, with Captain Christopher Pike leading the Starship Enterprise on all-new missions of exploration. Strange New Worlds sets the stage for what will eventually become Star Trek: The Original Series , with young versions of Lieutenant Spock (Ethan Peck), Ensign Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding), Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush), Scotty (Martin Quinn), and even Lieutenant James T. Kirk (Paul Wesley) serving on the Enterprise.

Although Pike's tragic future of being horribly disfigured is inevitable, Strange New Worlds fills in the years before Kirk takes over as Captain of the Enterprise with optimism and an anything-goes attitude. Strange New Worlds ' deftness in adapting to different genres, from comedy, to action, to Star Trek 's first musical episode , makes the episodic series the purest Star Trek show in years.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

22 star trek beyond, (kelvin timeline 2263).

Back in the alternate Kelvin Timeline and 3 years into their five-year mission of exploration , the crew of the Starship Enterprise are attacked by the mysterious Krall (Idris Elba). Krall's mechanized drone army destroys the Enterprise, stranding Captain Kirk and his captured crew on the planet Altamid. Kirk and his friends escape with the help of their new ally, Jaylah (Sofia Boutella), and they defeat Krall before he destroys Starfleet's USS Yorktown space station. At the end of Star Trek Beyond , Captain Kirk takes command of the new USS Enterprise-A.

Star Trek Beyond is dedicated to Leonard Nimoy and Anton Yelchin, who passed away in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

Star Trek Beyond

21 star trek: the original series, (2266-2269).

The Star Trek show that started it all, Star Trek: The Original Series chronicles the first three years of Captain James T. Kirk and the USS Enterprise's historic five-year mission of exploration, starting in 2266. The original Star Trek is an all-time classic, establishing the core tropes of the franchise, from starships, to beaming down to planets, to the unbreakable three-way friendship between Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, and Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (DeForest Kelley). Star Trek: The Original Series would not only be emulated by every other Star Trek that followed, but it would also become an enduring part of pop culture.

Star Trek: The Original Series

20 star trek: the animated series, (2269-2270).

While Star Trek: The Original Series was unceremoniously canceled after its third season, the show would go on to become a phenomenon in syndication. The first hint that Star Trek would outlive its somewhat humble beginnings was Star Trek: The Animated Series , an Emmy-winning cartoon that aimed for a family-friendly vibe without sacrificing what made the live-action original Star Trek work. Star Trek: The Animated Series is essentially the fourth season of Star Trek: The Original Series , and its status as canon has been made official by its numerous references in Star Trek on Paramount+'s shows .

Gene Roddenberry did not consider Star Trek: The Animated Series to be official canon, which made the cartoon apocryphal for decades.

19 Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Star Trek: The Motion Picture is the first feature film that launched Star Trek as a successful movie franchise . Set in the 2270s, years after the USS Enterprise's five-year mission ended, Admiral James T. Kirk takes command of his starship once more and reunites his crew to intercept a threat to Earth. Star Trek: The Motion Picture reunited the entire cast of Star Trek: The Original Serie s for a ponderously-paced adventure that had the virtue of dazzling visual effects . But Star Trek: The Motion Picture proved the human adventure was, indeed, just beginning.

18 Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, still widely considered the gold standard of Star Trek films, picks up Admiral Kirk's saga in 2285. A sequel to the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "Space Seed", Admiral Kirk faces a midlife crisis just as his old enemy, Khan Noonien Singh (Ricado Montalban) steals both the USS Reliant and the Genesis Device super weapon to seek revenge on Kirk. Star Trek II ends with the sacrifice and death of Spock, but opens the door for the Vulcan's resurrection and much more.

17 Star Trek III: The Search For Spock

Set immediately after the events of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III: The Search For Spock finds Admiral Kirk and friends stealing the USS Enterprise in an effort to save Spock's katra - his soul - after the wily Vulcan transferred it to Dr. McCoy just before his death. The crew would eventually save Spock, but at great cost; Kirk would not only lose his son, David Marcus (Merritt Burrick) , to a Klingon attack, but the Starship Enterprise is destroyed to prevent it from falling into Klingon hands. Thankfully, Kirk succeeds in bringing back Spock.

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock is the first film directed by Leonard Nimoy.

16 Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

(2286/1986).

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Hom e takes place in 2286 , months after Star Trek III: The Search for Spock . Or, at least, the 23rd century bookends of the movie do. The bulk of Star Trek IV is set in 1986 San Francisco, where Admiral Kirk and the former crew of the USS Enterprise time travel in order to find two humpback whales to bring back to the future in order to save Earth. A delightful, fish-out-of-water, time travel romp, Star Trek IV proved a Star Trek movie doesn't need action, violence, and death to be a mainstream success.

Kirk is demoted to Captain and given command of the USS Enterprise-A at the conclusion of Star Trek IV.

15 Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Directed by William Shatner, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier begins with the malfunctioning USS Enterprise-A less than a year out of space dock . But Captain Kirk and crew are still called into action when a mysterious Vulcan named Sybok (Laurence Luckinbill) takes a group of diplomats hostage, demanding a starship in exchange for their release. Sybok would be revealed as Spock's half-brother who seeks God on the fabled planet Sha Ka Ree. When "God" (George Murdock) turns out to be a malevolent alien, Sybok sacrifices himself so that Kirk and Spock can destroy the false Almighty.

William Shatner's Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is a comforting watch with enjoyable banter, a compelling villain in Sybok, and good intentions.

14 Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is set in 2293 when the Klingon moon Praxis' explosion leaves the Klingon Empire in dire financial straits. But a conspiracy within the Federation, the Romulans, and Klingons seek to prevent peace, and Captain Kirk is framed for the assassination of Klingon High Chancellor Gorkon (David Warner) . Star Trek VI is the final voyage of Captain Kirk's USS Enterprise crew, and its Klingon-centric story sets the stage for the future friendship between the Klingons and the Federation in Star Trek: The Next Generation .

13 Star Trek: Section 31

Star Trek: Section 31 , which stars Academy Award-winner Michelle Yeoh, is Star Trek 's first movie made for streaming on Paramount+. While the story of Section 31 is top-secret, the movie is a spinoff of Star Trek: Discovery, taking place after Yeoh's Emperor Philippa Georgiou exited the 32nd century . Georgiou reappears in the "lost era" of Star Trek 's early 24th century , although there could be more time travel involved in Star Trek: Section 31 as Philippa confronts the sins of her own past.

Star Trek: Section 31

12 star trek: the next generation, (2364-2370).

Star Trek: The Next Generation is the pillar and foundation of Star Trek 's popular 24th-century era . TNG follows the voyages of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the crew of the Galaxy Class USS Enterprise-D. TNG is Star Trek to an entire generation of fans, and the series produced some of the greatest Star Trek episodes of all-time . Expanding the universe and canon in myriad ways, and nominated for a Best Dramatic Series Emmy, Star Trek: The Next Generation was a massive hit in first-run syndication and solidified Star Trek as an A-list franchise for most of the 1990s.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

11 star trek: deep space nine, (2369-2375).

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine would break new ground for the Star Trek franchise in more ways than one. DS9 starred Avery Brooks as Commander (later Captain) Benjamin Sisko, the first Black actor to lead a Star Trek series. Taking command of a former Cardassian space station Starfleet renamed Deep Space Nine, Sisko would interact with a vast cavalcade of characters that would deepen the Star Trek universe in countless ways. Culminating with the epic Dominion War saga that reshaped the galaxy, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a fundamentally important part of the Star Trek universe.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine began as a spinoff of Star Trek: The Next Generation and carried on in syndication after TNG jumped to feature films.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

10 star trek: voyager, (2371-2378).

Star Trek: Voyager was the flagship series of the United Paramount Network (UPN), and continues the 24th-century era of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , but with a twist: Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and the USS Voyager were stranded in the uncharted Delta Quadrant. Voyager's seven-year journey home created a new generation of fans (girls and women, especially) and saw the introduction of numerous new alien species and characters, as well as the return of the Borg. Voyager ended with Janeway, Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan), the Doctor (Robert Picardo), and its other characters as bona fide Star Trek icons.

Star Trek: Voyager

9 star trek generations, (2371/2293).

Star Trek Generations ' main story takes place in 2371, months after the series finale of Star Trek: The Next Generation. However, Star Trek Generations begins with a prologue set in 2293 where Captain James T. Kirk is believed to be killed during the maiden voyage of the USS Enterprise-B. Kirk survives within the interdimensional Nexus, where he meets Captain Jean-Luc Picard, who is out to stop a madman named Dr. Tolian Soran (Malcolm McDowell) from destroying the Veridian star system.

Kirk and Picard's team-up defeats Soran but results in Kirk's tragic death . Meanwhile, a Klingon plot leads to the destruction of the USS Enterprise-D. Star Trek Generations was a successful transition by TNG to feature films so that the 24th century era of Star Trek continued on television and in movie theaters.

Star Trek - Chronological order

Scott Bakula, John Billingsley, Jolene Blalock, Dominic Keating, Anthony Montgomery, Connor Trinneer, and Linda Park in Star Trek: Enterprise (2001)

1. Star Trek: Enterprise

Wilson Cruz, Robinne Fanfair, Doug Jones, Anthony Rapp, Blu del Barrio, Sonequa Martin-Green, David Ajala, and Mary Wiseman in Star Trek: Discovery (2017)

2. Star Trek: Discovery

Rebecca Romijn, Anson Mount, Ethan Peck, and Celia Rose Gooding in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022)

3. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Rebecca Romijn, H. Jon Benjamin, Doug Jones, Anson Mount, Ethan Peck, Rainn Wilson, Kenric Green, Rosa Salazar, and Mary Wiseman in Star Trek: Short Treks (2018)

4. Star Trek: Short Treks

Walter Koenig, Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, James Doohan, DeForest Kelley, George Takei, and Nichelle Nichols in Star Trek (1966)

5. Star Trek

Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, James Doohan, and DeForest Kelley in Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973)

6. Star Trek: The Animated Series

Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, and Persis Khambatta in Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

7. Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Kirstie Alley, Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, and Ricardo Montalban in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

8. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, James Doohan, DeForest Kelley, Merritt Butrick, and Robin Curtis in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)

9. Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

Walter Koenig, Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, James Doohan, DeForest Kelley, George Takei, and Nichelle Nichols in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)

10. Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)

11. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, and DeForest Kelley in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)

12. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

Michael Dorn, Jonathan Frakes, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, and Patrick Stewart in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987)

13. Star Trek: The Next Generation

William Shatner and Patrick Stewart in Star Trek: Generations (1994)

14. Star Trek: Generations

Alice Krige, Brent Spiner, and Patrick Stewart in Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

15. Star Trek: First Contact

F. Murray Abraham in Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)

16. Star Trek: Insurrection

Brent Spiner, Patrick Stewart, and Tom Hardy in Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)

17. Star Trek: Nemesis

Michael Dorn, Terry Farrell, Colm Meaney, Nana Visitor, Avery Brooks, Armin Shimerman, Rene Auberjonois, and Alexander Siddig in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993)

18. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Robert Beltran, Jennifer Lien, Robert Duncan McNeill, Kate Mulgrew, Robert Picardo, Jeri Ryan, Roxann Dawson, Ethan Phillips, Tim Russ, and Garrett Wang in Star Trek: Voyager (1995)

19. Star Trek: Voyager

Jerry O'Connell, Dawnn Lewis, Jack McBrayer, Eugene Cordero, Noël Wells, Jack Quaid, Gabrielle Ruiz, and Tawny Newsome in Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020)

20. Star Trek: Lower Decks

21. Star Trek: Prodigy

Michael Dorn, Jonathan Frakes, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Patrick Stewart, Jeri Ryan, Michelle Hurd, Todd Stashwick, and Ed Speleers in Star Trek: Picard (2020)

22. Star Trek: Picard

23. star trek: discovery.

24. Star Trek

25. Star Trek Into Darkness

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Favorite Star Trek Terminology

What are your favorite words from Star Trek? There are quite a few out there that, when spoken, evoke images of 1960s era hair-dos and sets, or more modern alien foreheads. Cassie Ammerman of Oxford University Press has compiled a list of her ten favorite Star Trek words and phrases. I won’t list them here, so maybe you can guess what they are before you follow this link and read the article for yourself. How many did you get right? Let us know in the comments. Hint: They are all nouns.

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That actually explain what's on your next test, from class:, communication and popular culture.

Star Trek is a groundbreaking science fiction franchise that began with a television series created by Gene Roddenberry in 1966. It features a diverse crew aboard the starship USS Enterprise as they explore space and encounter new civilizations, addressing complex themes such as morality, politics, and social issues. The franchise has significantly influenced popular culture and has led to numerous spin-offs, films, books, and fan communities.

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5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

The original Star Trek series aired for three seasons from 1966 to 1969 and has since spawned multiple television series and movies.
Star Trek introduced the concept of a multicultural crew working together for a common goal, which was revolutionary for its time in promoting diversity.
The franchise is known for its optimistic vision of the future, where humanity has overcome many social issues and works towards peaceful exploration.
Key elements of Star Trek include its iconic phrases like 'Live long and prosper' and advanced technologies like the warp drive and transporters.
Star Trek has sparked extensive academic study and cultural critique, with scholars analyzing its impact on social issues such as race, gender, and ethics.

Review Questions

Star Trek reflects cultural values of its time by promoting diversity and inclusivity through its multicultural crew. The show addressed social issues such as racism, sexism, and war, often using allegory to present these topics in a science fiction context. This approach resonated with viewers during the civil rights movement and other social changes in the 1960s, encouraging discussions about equality and human rights.
Star Trek revolutionized science fiction television by combining compelling storytelling with thoughtful commentary on human nature and society. Its episodic format allowed for exploration of various themes, setting a precedent for future sci-fi shows to blend entertainment with deeper philosophical questions. The franchise's success also paved the way for more diverse programming in science fiction, inspiring subsequent series that embraced complex characters and plots.
The long-term impact of Star Trek on popular culture is profound, having established a dedicated fan base and influencing countless other works across various media. Its themes of exploration, cooperation among different cultures, and ethical dilemmas remain relevant in today's globalized world. Additionally, advancements in technology portrayed in Star Trek have inspired real-world innovations in fields such as space travel and communication devices. The franchise continues to spark dialogue around social issues, making it an enduring cultural touchstone.

Related terms

Science Fiction : A genre of speculative fiction that often explores futuristic concepts, advanced technology, space exploration, and extraterrestrial life.

Fandom : A community of enthusiastic fans who engage in activities related to their favorite media, such as conventions, fan fiction, and discussions.

Cultural Critique : An analysis that examines the societal implications and messages conveyed through media, often highlighting issues of power, identity, and representation.

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Critical TV Studies
Literature in English: The Mid-19th through the Mid-20th Century
Television Studies
Understanding Television

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Star Trek timeline: Boldly go on a chronological journey through the Trek universe

From the Original Series to Discovery’s final season, here’s how the Star Trek timeline fits together

The Star Trek timeline now spans billions of years and it's growing all the time. And even though Star Trek: Discovery makes its final voyage on May 30, that expansion is set to continue with upcoming new seasons of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Lower Decks. This franchise has come a long way since Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry sent Kirk, Spock, and co. on their original five-year mission in the ’60s.

But with hundreds of hours of missions spread across 11 TV shows and 13 movies, knowing where to begin with the Star Trek timeline can be something of a challenge. With that in mind, we’ve assembled the key events that shaped Federation history into one massive chronology, featuring moments from The Original Series, The Next Generation, and its spin-offs, as well as all of the films and the TV shows of Trek's 2017 comeback – including Discovery and Star Trek: Picard .

We’ve even included the parallel "Kelvin" continuity of the J.J. Abrams Star Trek movie and its sequels, an alternative sequence of events kickstarted when a rogue Romulan ship from the future destroyed the USS Kelvin – killing James T. Kirk’s dad, George, and forever altering Kirk and Spock’s destinies.

That said, because the numerous spin-off Trek comics and novels aren’t traditionally considered part of the official Star Trek timeline, we’ve left them out. We’ve also steered clear of the long-running Mirror Universe (y'know, the one where evil Spock has a goatee), so there isn’t too much timey-wimey stuff going on that you’d have to be Data to understand it.

But before we engage the warp drive and explore the history of the future, here’s an at-a-glance guide to how the various movies and TV shows fit into the Star Trek timeline. And beware – spoilers ahead!

The Kelvin Star Trek timeline

Star Trek (2009)
Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
Star Trek Beyond (2016)

Star Trek timeline

Around 4.5 billion years ago - A species later dubbed "the Progenitors" seed numerous planets with their DNA, influencing the evolution of humans, Klingons, Cardassians, Vulcans, Romulans, and others. This explains why so many Star Trek aliens can be played by actors in prosthetics. (The Chase, Star Trek: The Next Generation; Star Trek: Discovery season 5)

Hundreds of thousands of years ago - A mysterious alien probe – known universally as the Sphere – starts gathering detailed information about the galaxy. Thousands of years later, the USS Discovery will travel to the distant future to protect its secrets. (Star Trek: Discovery season 2)

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Around 200,000 years ago - An ancient alien species is wiped out by an uprising of synthetic beings. They leave eight stars in an implausible arrangement, the Conclave of Eight, to serve as a warning to future generations. (Star Trek: Picard season 1)

1893 - The time-travelling crew of the USS Enterprise-D encounters The Adventures of Tom Sawyer author Mark Twain in San Francisco. (Time’s Arrow, Star Trek: The Next Generation)

1930 - Having been sent back to 20th century New York by a malevolent portal known as the Guardian of Forever, James T. Kirk is forced to allow peace campaigner Edith Keeler to die in order to save millions of lives in World War 2. (The City on the Edge of Forever, Star Trek: The Original Series)

1947 - Ferengi Quark, Rom, and Nog crash land in 20th century Roswell, New Mexico, and are captured by US authorities who (correctly, to be fair) think they’re aliens. (Little Green Men, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)

1986 - Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the original Enterprise crew travel back in time to kidnap a pair of humpback whales who can save the future from an alien probe. (Star Trek 4: The Voyage Home)

1996 - Genetically enhanced tyrant Khan Noonien Singh and 84 of his followers escape the Eugenics Wars on Earth (remember those?), going into suspended animation on the SS Botany Bay. (Space Seed, Star Trek: The Original Series)

~2022/23 - Enterprise security officer La'an Noonien Singh arrives in 21st century Toronto alongside a parallel universe version of James T. Kirk. With a Romulan time traveller out to change history by preventing the Eugenics Wars (which haven't yet happened in this adjusted timeline), she rescues a young boy named Khan from the Noonien-Singh Institute for Cultural Advancement. (Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds)

2024 – Picard and La Sirena's crew arrive in the 21st century to fix the event that's created a dystopian alternative timeline. Along the way they meet a younger version of Guinan (who already owns her bar at 10 Forward Avenue) and an ancient ancestor of Data's creator – another of Brent Spiner's many Star Trek roles . (Star Trek: Picard season 2)

2063 - In the wake of World War 3, Zefram Cochrane makes Earth’s first successful warp flight, attracting the attention of some passing Vulcans who subsequently introduce Earth into the interstellar community – all while the crew of the Enterprise-E fight to stop the Borg assimilating the planet. (Star Trek: First Contact)

2151 - Suliban fighting in a Temporal Cold War shoot down Klingon warrior Klaang over Broken Bow, Oklahoma – bringing about humanity’s first contact with a Klingon. The prototype USS Enterprise (NX-01) sets off on a mission to return him to Qo’noS – against the wishes of the Vulcans and their massive superiority complex. (Broken Bow, Star Trek: Enterprise)

2153 - A group of Borg who survived the attempted invasion of Earth in 2063 are accidentally thawed by a research team in the Arctic. It doesn’t end well. (Regeneration, Star Trek: Enterprise)

An alien probe fires a massive energy beam at Earth’s surface, causing destruction across the American continent. The Enterprise is redeployed to the Delphic Expanse to fight back against the perpetrators, the Xindi. (The Expanse, Star Trek: Enterprise)

2164 - The USS Franklin, commanded by Captain Balthazar Edison, goes missing – that might just prove important later… (Star Trek Beyond)

2230 - Spock is born on Vulcan.

2233 - James T. Kirk is born. He's from Iowa – he only works in outer space.

2233 (Kelvin timeline) - First officer George Kirk (father of James T.) sacrifices himself to save his crewmates when the USS Kelvin is destroyed by time-travelling 24th century Romulan ship the Narada, kickstarting the so-called "Kelvin" timeline. (Star Trek, 2009)

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2230s (exact date unknown) - After her parents are killed in a Klingon attack, Michael Burnham is adopted by Sarek and Amanda Grayson on Vulcan. Her adoptive brother, Spock, has his first sighting of a “ Red Angel ”. (Will You Take My Hand?, Star Trek: Discovery)

2254 - The USS Enterprise, captained by Christopher Pike, discovers the survivors of crashed survey ship SS Columbia on Talos IV – though it turns out they’re an illusion created by the telepathic Talosians. (Star Trek: The Cage)

2256 - The USS Shenzou’s first officer, Commander Michael Burnham, defies the orders of Captain Philippa Georgiou by attacking a Klingon vessel, and is charged with mutiny. The Federation/Klingon War begins at the Battle of the Binary Stars. (The Vulcan Hello/The Battle at the Binary Stars, Star Trek: Discovery)

2257 - The Federation/Klingon War ends, with the hydro bomb Section 31 plant at the heart of Qo’noS helping maintain peace between feuding Klingon houses. (Will You Take My Hand, Star Trek: Discovery)

With the Enterprise under repair, Christopher Pike assumes command of the Discovery on a mission to understand the so-called “Red Angels” – and track down his AWOL science officer, Spock. (Brother, Star Trek: Discovery)

2258 - In order to save all life in the universe from a rogue Federation AI known as Control, Michael Burnham uses the Red Angel time travel suit (created by her parents) to carry data collected by a millennia-old alien probe into the future. The USS Discovery and its crew follow her on a one-way trip through the wormhole. (Such Sweet Sorrow, Star Trek: Discovery)

2258 (Kelvin timeline) - The Narada reappears and destroys Vulcan, as an act of revenge on Spock. The Enterprise (commanded by Christopher Pike) engages the Romulan ship, but with Pike incapacitated, James T. Kirk eventually assumes command of the ship – and defeats the Narada. (Star Trek, 2009)

(Kelvin timeline) In the wake of Vulcan’s destruction, Admiral Alexander Marcus tries to increase Starfleet’s military capabilities – and subsequently discovers 20th century vessel the SS Botany Bay years earlier than in the Prime timeline. Khan Noonien Singh is revived and recruited by the Federation's shadowy spy branch, Section 31. (Star Trek Into Darkness)

2259 – Commanded by Captain Christopher Pike, the USS Enterprise boldly goes where no one has gone before – aside from all the Star Trek crews who came before. Pike and his team also meet a pair of animated Starfleet officers from the future, spend an entire episode singing and dancing (Subspace Rhapsody), and survive several scary encounters with the reptilian Gorn. They also encounter the cocky young first officer of the USS Farragut – a guy who goes by the name of James T. Kirk. (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds seasons 1 and 2)

2259 (Kelvin timeline) - Going under the pseudonym John Harrison, Khan wages a one-man war on the Federation – all in the name of recovering his crew from suspended animation. The Enterprise crew eventually defeat him and put him back into stasis, but Kirk dies in the process. Luckily Dr. McCoy is able to use some of Khan’s blood to revive his captain – phew! (Star Trek Into Darkness)

2260 (Kelvin timeline) - The USS Enterprise begins its (other) famous five-year mission. (Star Trek Into Darkness)

2263 (Kelvin timeline) - Three years into the five-year mission (with things starting to get boring), the Enterprise is destroyed by Krall’s swarm ships, marooning the crew on an alien planet. It turns out Krall was the captain of the aforementioned USS Franklin, who’s spent the last century using alien tech to keep himself alive – and developing a colossal grudge against the Federation. He’s eventually killed on new Federation starbase, the USS Yorktown. James T. Kirk and crew are assigned to a new ship, the Enterprise-A. The original Spock Prime – the one who travelled back in time – passes away on New Vulcan (Star Trek Beyond).

2266 - The USS Enterprise’s five-year mission to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life, and new civilisations, and to boldly go where no one has gone before, begins under the command of Captain James T. Kirk. (Star Trek: The Original Series)

2267 - After Spock mutinies, Christopher Pike (gravely injured by a radiation leak a year earlier) is taken to the off-limits Talos 4, where the illusions of the telepathic Talosians allow him to live an active life. (The Menagerie, Star Trek: The Original Series)

The Enterprise discovers SS Botany Bay, and awakens Khan Noonien Singh from suspended animation. After he tries to take over the ship, Khan and his crew are exiled to Ceti Alpha 5. (Space Seed, Star Trek: The Original Series)

Early 2270s (exact year unknown) - The refitted USS Enterprise (commanded once again by Admiral James T. Kirk) encounters V’Ger, a 20th century space probe (Voyager 6 under an alias) that has gained sentience and threatens to destroy planet Earth. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture)

2285 - While on a training mission, the USS Enterprise is critically damaged by Khan Noonien Singh, who has escaped exile on Ceti Alpha V and seeks revenge on Kirk. The Genesis planet is created by detonation of the top secret Genesis torpedo, and Spock dies after sacrificing himself to save the Enterprise. (Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan)

Kirk, McCoy, and the rest of the surviving Enterprise crew defy Starfleet orders to commandeer the ship for a mission to the Genesis planet to recover Spock’s body. After they unexpectedly encounter a hostile Klingon Bird-of-Prey, Kirk self-destructs the Enterprise – but Spock is resurrected. (Star Trek 3: The Search for Spock)

2286 - A mysterious space probe appears in Earth's orbit, attempting to make contact with now-extinct humpback whales. Kirk and co. pilot their commandeered Bird-of-Prey back to 20th century Earth to find some whales. Admiral Kirk is demoted to captain as punishment for his insurrection, and the USS Enterprise-A goes into active service. (Star Trek 4: The Voyage Home)

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2287 - The new Enterprise is commandeered by Spock’s half-brother, Sybok, who plans to meet God (yes, really) at the centre of the galaxy. The question “What does God need with a starship?” has never felt so pertinent. (Star Trek 5: The Final Frontier)

2290 - Hikaru Sulu assumes command of the USS Excelsior, breaking up the Enterprise “dream team” – it was probably about time, to be fair... (Star Trek 6: The Undiscovered Country)

2293 - Praxis, the Klingon moon responsible for most of the empire’s power production, explodes. With Kirk and the classic crew due for retirement, they set off on one last mission to escort the Klingon ambassador to peace negotiations with the Federation – and end up having to foil a complex plot to scupper the whole thing. (Star Trek 6: The Undiscovered Country)

Captain James T. Kirk is presumed dead when the Nexus energy ribbon has a close encounter with the newly launched Enterprise-B. Predictably, however, it’s not the end… (Star Trek: Generations)

2330s (exact year unknown) - Data is created by pioneering scientist Dr Noonian Soong. (Datalore, Star Trek: The Next Generation)

2344 - The USS Enterprise-C answers a distress call from a Klingon outpost on Narendra III. Surrounded by Romulan Warbirds, it faces certain destruction until it disappears into a mysterious temporal rift… (Yesterday’s Enterprise, Star Trek: The Next Generation)

2356 - Future Seven of Nine Annika Hansen is assimilated by the Borg – along with her scientist parents – on their ship, The Raven. (The Raven, Star Trek: Voyager)

2364 - Commander William T. Riker joins the crew of the USS Enterprise-D, under the command of Jean-Luc Picard. Omnipotent being Q appears and puts humanity on trial. (Encounter At Farpoint, Star Trek: The Next Generation)

2365 - Q shows up again, and transports the Enterprise to uncharted space for Starfleet’s first encounter with the Borg. (Q Who, Star Trek: The Next Generation)

2366 - The Enterprise-C emerges from that aforementioned temporal rift and creates a new timeline where the Federation is at war with the Klingons. (Yesterday’s Enterprise, Star Trek: The Next Generation)

The Borg show up in Federation space to start an invasion. Jean-Luc Picard is assimilated, becoming Locutus, and Starfleet is almost wiped out at the Battle of Wolf 359. (The Best of Both Worlds, Star Trek: The Next Generation)

2368 - Now an ambassador, Spock turns up on Romulus trying to reunify the Vulcan and Romulan races. (Unification, Star Trek: The Next Generation)

2369 - The Cardassians cease their occupation of Bajor and vacate their space station, Terok Nor. Starfleet moves in and renames it Deep Space Nine, with Benjamin Sisko taking command. It looks like it's going to be a relatively straightforward gig – until a wormhole opens to the Gamma Quadrant on the other side of the galaxy. (Emissary, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)

2370 - Starfleet makes first contact with the Dominion, an alliance of races led by shapeshifting Founders from the Gamma Quadrant. (The Search, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)

2371 - It turns out James T. Kirk wasn’t dead after all – he was just living inside the Nexus energy ribbon, a place where all your dreams come true. When El-Aurian scientist Dr Tolian Soran threatens to destroy entire worlds to get back inside the Nexus, Jean-Luc Picard enlists Kirk’s help to stop him – which doesn’t end well for Kirk, who ends up dead for the final time. The Enterprise-D also crashes on the surface of Veridian III, though it won't be the last we see of the ship... (Star Trek: Generations)

USS Voyager (under the command of Captain Kathryn Janeway) and a ship of Maquis freedom fighters are transported to the distant Delta Quadrant by an alien “caretaker”. The two crews become BFFs implausibly quickly – and for some reason, invite Neelix on board. (Caretaker, Star Trek: Voyager)

2373 - The Borg have another crack at invading Earth. Seemingly defeated, they launch a last ditch attempt to assimilate humanity in the past – so Jean-Luc Picard and crew take their shiny new Enterprise-E back in time to stop them. It's our first introduction to the Borg Queen, who does her best to seduce Data. She succeeds for approximately 0.68 seconds. "For an android," he says, "that is nearly an eternity." (Star Trek: First Contact)

Meanwhile, back in the Borg’s home territory of the Delta Quadrant, Voyager forms an unlikely alliance with the Collective to battle Species 8472 from “fluidic space”. Borg drone Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix 01 (AKA, Seven of Nine) joins the Voyager crew. (Scorpion, Star Trek: Voyager)

The Dominion War kicks off between the Dominion (led by the Changelings) and the Federation. (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)

2375 - The Dominion War ends. Benjamin Sisko, the Bajoran “emissary”, relocates to the wormhole to commune with its residents – aliens who have no sense of linear time. (What You Leave Behind, Deep Space Nine)

The Enterprise-E crew uncovers a shady Federation plot to relocate the near-immortal inhabitants of a paradise planet, in order to harness its youth-giving properties. It’s difficult to care about any of it. (Star Trek: Insurrection)

2378 - USS Voyager finally makes it back to Federation space, after a future version of Janeway uses a lethal pathogen to wipe out many of the Borg. Following seven years of exemplary service, Ensign Harry Kim is still an Ensign. (Endgame, Star Trek: Voyager)

2379 - Shinzon, a clone of Jean-Luc Picard, takes control of the Romulan senate – and his overtures towards peace with the Federation turn out to be a front for war. The Enterprise eventually stops him, but Data has to sacrifice himself to save the day. (Star Trek: Nemesis)

2380 - The USS Cerritos, under the command of Captain Carol Freeman, continues to specialise in “Second Contact” situations. (Star Trek: Lower Decks)

2381 - A pair of USS Cerritos crew members, Ensigns Beckett Mariner and Brad Boimler, are transported back to Pike's Enterprise for some unashamed fan worship. (Those Old Scientists, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds)

2383 - A ragtag group of alien kids stumbles on the abandoned USS Protostar in the Delta Quadrant. Their guide? A holographic version of Kathryn Janeway. (Star Trek: Prodigy)

2385 - Members of the Romulan Zhat Vash experience the Admonition on the “grief world” of Aia, driving many to madness and suicide. Their leader, Commodore Oh, instigates the uprising of synthetic workers at the Utopia Planitia Fleet Yards on Mars, leaving 92,143 people dead and the planet burning. Facing heavy losses, Starfleet abandons its rescue mission to help rescue the residents of Romulus from an upcoming supernova. Admiral Jean-Luc Picard resigns in protest. (Star Trek: Picard season 1)

2387 - With a supernova threatening to destroy Romulus, Spock – still active after all these years, remarkably – attempts to save the planet by using “red matter” to create a black hole that will engulf the exploding star. He fails – and he, and Romulan ship the Narada, are sucked into the black hole and back in time, creating the new, parallel "Kelvin" timeline. (Star Trek, 2009)

2390 - Starfleet vessel the Ibn Majid encounters a pair of synthetic lifeforms. Under orders from Commodore Oh, the captain executes the two androids before taking his own life. First Officer Chris Rios is so traumatised by the experience – expunged from Federation records – that he leaves Starfleet six months later. (Broken Pieces, Star Trek: Picard)

2399 - Having discovered that the late Data had a pair of ridiculously advanced twin daughters, the long-retired Jean-Luc Picard ventures back into space after years on the family vineyard. After some close encounters with rogue Romulans, militant AI, and a few Borg, Picard succumbs to his terminal Irumodic Syndrome – but is reborn in a new android body. (Star Trek: Picard season 1)

2400 - Now running Starfleet Academy, Picard once again finds himself back on a starship when a spatial anomaly appears, broadcasting his name in multiple languages. After ending up in a totalitarian alternative timeline – possibly with a bit of help from Q – he gathers up the crew of La Sirena to travel back to a pivotal event in 2024. A severely weakened Q later dies sending Picard and co back to their own time. Or does he...? (Star Trek: Picard season 2)

2401 - Jean-Luc Picard learns that he and long-term love interest Beverly Crusher have a son. They join forces with the rest of the crew of the USS Enterprise-D (now resurrected by Geordi La Forge) to combat a new Changeling threat to the Federation. It later turns out that Jack is part-Borg, and that the Borg Queen (severely damaged by the pathogen in the Star Trek: Voyager finale) has been pulling the strings all along. (Star Trek: Picard season 3)

2402 - Jack Crusher, now an Ensign in Starfleet, is assigned to the USS Enterprise-G, commanded by Seven of Nine. Q – not so dead after all – appears in Jack's quarters, telling him that humanity's trial continues... (The Last Generation, Star Trek: Picard)

3069 - The so-called Burn causes the cataclysmic destruction of dilithium across the galaxy, massively curtailing warp travel across the Alpha Quadrant. (Star Trek: Discovery season 3)

The Federation is involved in a Temporal War that leads to a galaxy-wide ban on time travel. During this period, Temporal Agent Daniels travels back to 2151 to infiltrate Captain Archer's Enterprise, and overthrow a Suliban plot. (Star Trek: Enterprise; Star Trek: Discovery)

3188 - Michael Burnham emerges from the wormhole, and joins forces with courier Cleveland 'Book' Booker. (Star Trek: Discovery season 3)

3189 - Discovery arrives in the 32nd century and discovers a universe where the Federation has been decimated by the Burn, and the biggest power in the Alpha Quadrant is now the Emerald Chain criminal syndicate. With the spore drive now one of the most important resources in the galaxy, Captain Saru and crew work to discover the cause of the Burn – and restore the Federation to past glories. (Star Trek: Discovery season 3)

3190 - As numerous worlds sign up to rejoin the resurgent Federation, a mysterious Dark Matter Anomaly destroys Book's homeworld and threatens all life in the Alpha Quadrant. Now (somewhat belatedly) captaining the Discovery, Michael Burnham leads the Federation's defences. (Star Trek: Discovery season 4)

3191 - The Discovery sets off on an interstellar treasure hunt to find the Progenitor technology that kickstarted all humanoid evolution in the galaxy billions of years ago. There are other interested parties, however, and Starfleet ends up going head-to-head with the Breen, mysterious former allies of the Dominion. After tracking down the tech, Captain Burnham decides to throw it into the event horizon of a black hole so that no one else can use it, reasoning that the Progenitors' legacy lives on through the existing species of the Alpha Quadrant. Dr Kovich admits he's actually aforementioned temporal agent Daniels. (Star Trek: Discovery season 5)

~3220 - Zora, the sentient AI controlling Discovery, departs for her final mission, following a top-secret directive to travel to pre-assigned co-ordinates – and wait. All she knows is that 'craft' – whatever or whoever that is – will be involved somehow. (Life, Itself, Star Trek: Discovery)

~4200 - Zora is still waiting. She runs into a soldier from Alcor IV named Craft, and the pair form a close friendship as she introduces him to Taco Tuesdays and classic movies. (Calypso, Short Trek)

All caught up? Great, now come and discover the best Star Trek episodes that every Trekkie should watch right now, or watch the video below for a complete guide to the Star Wars timeline – that other sci-fi galaxy far, far, away...

Richard is a freelancer journalist and editor, and was once a physicist. Rich is the former editor of SFX Magazine, but has since gone freelance, writing for websites and publications including GamesRadar+, SFX, Total Film, and more. He also co-hosts the podcast, Robby the Robot's Waiting, which is focused on sci-fi and fantasy.

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COMMENTS

Category:Star Trek terminology
Terminology that relate to Star Trek, particularly technical terms. This category is used primarily to reduce the number of articles in Category:Star Trek. Subcategories. This category has only the following subcategory. S. Star Trek sayings‎ (16 P)
Words We Know Because Of Star Trek
Terms and expressions from the show, like live long and prosper, have become part of the general lexicon, even for people who couldn't pick Captain Kirk out of a lineup (hint: it's the guy who looks like William Shatner). There are dozens of terms that Star Trek has contributed to the English language. We've picked out just a handful of ...
Star Trek Glossary: Every Starfleet Rank And Job Explained
Star Trek Glossary: Every Starfleet Rank And Job Explained. Paramount. By Witney Seibold May 6, 2024 11:00 am EST. "Star Trek" is, first and foremost, a workplace drama. It just so happens that ...
50 Terms You Know Because Of Star Trek
Learn the origin and meaning of 50 phrases and terms from Star Trek, the iconic sci-fi franchise that celebrates its 50th anniversary. From "Space: the final frontier" to "Tea, Earl Grey, hot", discover the words and expressions that shaped popular culture and science fiction.
Is there a database of all the technical terms used in Star Trek?
Memory alpha is considered to be the "go-to" reference guide for Star Trek technical gobbledegook. Please note that while many of the words you hear on the show are real, there's also a fair amount of pure treknobabble scattered in there as well.. You can usually see the correct spellings if you locate a script guide or read the online transcripts for various episodes.
Star Trek terminology: A beginner's guide to acronyms
In Star Trek terminology, "LLAP" means "Live Long And Prosper," Spock's famous saying from TOS. It's more often than not accompanied by the Vulcan salute; that is, a "V" shape formed using your fingers. You know the one. It's a phrase we love so much, we put it on an exclusively-designed knitted scarf - the full "Live Long ...
Star Trek terminology
The eleventh Star Trek movie is opening this Friday, and I don't know about you, but I've already bought my ticket. It's a reboot of the original series, which means more James Tiberius Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the gang.It's enough to make me jump up and down in excitement. Thinking about the various iterations of Star Trek made me think about all my favorite aspects of the series.
Memory Alpha
Memory Alpha is a collaborative project to create the most definitive, accurate, and accessible encyclopedia and reference for everything related to Star Trek.The English-language Memory Alpha started in November 2003, and currently consists of 59,337 articles and 65,961 files.If this is your first visit, please read an introduction to Memory Alpha.
Beam Me Up: Star Trek Vocabulary
In Star Trek, the main use of prime is in prime directive, a term the Oxford English Dictionary defines in its broad and Trek-specific senses: "a chief objective, goal, or requirement; a guiding principle (in later use popularized esp. by the U.S. science fiction television series Star Trek as a law prohibiting interference with less developed ...
Star Trek timeline in complete chronological order, explained
The current main Star Trek timeline begins in the year 2151, with the first season of Enterprise, and concludes over a millennium later in 3190 with the upcoming Star Trek Discovery season 5. After Enterprise kicked things off in 2151, the TOS-era begins in 2259, with the TOS prequel Strange New Worlds.
Every Star Trek Show And Movie In Chronological Order
The decade of syndication, "Trek" conventions, and the financial success of George Lucas' sci-fi serial epic "Star Wars" in 1977 led Paramount to start thinking about restarting "Star Trek" on TV ...
Star Trek
Star Trek is a science fiction franchise comprising twelve television series, thirteen films, four companion series, numerous novels, comics, video games, reference works, podcasts, role playing games, along with thousands of collectibles. Originally, Star Trek was a product of Desilu Studios as created by Gene Roddenberry in a first draft series proposal "Star Trek is...", dated 11 March 1964 ...
Star Trek
Star Trek was created by American writer and producer Gene Roddenberry and chronicles the exploits of the crew of the starship USS Enterprise, whose five-year mission is to explore space and, as stated in the title sequence, "to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before." The series takes place in the 23rd century, after a benign and advanced alien ...
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon.Since its creation, the franchise has expanded into various films, television series, video games, novels, and comic books, and it has become one of the most recognizable and highest-grossing media franchises ...
Star Trek: Series and Movies
Explore the iconic Star Trek series and movies, including the adventures of Captain Benjamin Sisko and Captain Jane Tiberia Kirk.
The Origins of 11 Famous 'Star Trek' Lines
Here are 11 of the most notable Star Trek catchphrases, as well as a little more information about their origins. 1. "Live Long and Prosper". The Vulcan greeting and the finger-separating hand ...
Star Trek
Star Trek is a groundbreaking science fiction television series that first aired in 1966, created by Gene Roddenberry. Set in a future where humanity explores the galaxy, it showcases the adventures of the starship USS Enterprise and its crew as they seek out new worlds and civilizations. The series is notable for its progressive themes, including diversity, exploration, and the quest for ...
Star Trek Timeline
Picard S2 / E5: Fly Me to the Moon. Apr 12, 2024. With the help of Tallinn, Picard and the crew infiltrate a gala on the eve of a joint space mission, to protect one of the astronauts they believe to be integral to the restoration of the timeline - Renée Picard. Kore makes a startling discovery about her father's work.
The Complete Star Trek Timeline Explained
Star Trek: Enterprise is, chronologically, the first Star Trek series in the timeline (although technically the 6th produced) chronicling the pioneering 22nd-century voyages of Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) and the NX-01 Enterprise.Archer's Enterprise is Starfleet's first Warp 5-capable starship, which allowed the NX-01 to make pivotal First Contact missions and lay the groundwork for ...
Star Trek
Star Trek is a groundbreaking science fiction television series that first aired in 1966, exploring themes of exploration, diversity, and morality through the adventures of the starship USS Enterprise and its crew. It became a cultural phenomenon, influencing how future shows portray technology, social issues, and the human experience in a futuristic context.
Star Trek
1991 1h 50m PG. 7.2 (82K) Rate. 65 Metascore. On the eve of retirement, Kirk and McCoy are charged with assassinating the Klingon High Chancellor and imprisoned. The Enterprise crew must help them escape to thwart a conspiracy aimed at sabotaging the last best hope for peace.
Favorite Star Trek Terminology
Favorite Star Trek Terminology. What are your favorite words from Star Trek? There are quite a few out there that, when spoken, evoke images of 1960s era hair-dos and sets, or more modern alien ...
Star Trek
Star Trek is a groundbreaking science fiction franchise that began with a television series created by Gene Roddenberry in 1966. It features a diverse crew aboard the starship USS Enterprise as they explore space and encounter new civilizations, addressing complex themes such as morality, politics, and social issues. The franchise has significantly influenced popular culture and has led to ...
Star Trek timeline: Boldly go on a chronological journey through the
Star Trek timeline. Around 4.5 billion years ago - A species later dubbed "the Progenitors" seed numerous planets with their DNA, influencing the evolution of humans, Klingons, Cardassians ...