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A Mirror for Humanity: Why the Cardassians are Trek’s Best Alien Race

From their first introduction on The Next Generation to later their central role on Deep Space Nine, the Cardassians were never just “plain and simple”.

In the Season 4 episode of Enterprise titled “The Forge”, there is a wonderfully insightful conversation between the Vulcan Ambassador to Earth, Soval and Admiral Maxwell Forrest of Earth’s Starfleet.

Soval: “We don’t know what to do about Humans. Of all the species we’ve made contact with, yours is the only one we can’t define. You have the arrogance of Andorians, the stubborn pride of Tellarites. One moment you’re as driven by your emotions as Klingons, and the next you confound us by suddenly embracing logic!” Forrest: “I’m sure those qualities are found in every species.” Soval: “Not in such confusing abundance.”

As much as those qualities define humanity, they also define the Cardassians as well, who are arguably the most compelling alien race in Star Trek because they serve such a striking parallel to much of human history, both past and present. And in doing so, they act as a cautionary tale about the dangers of our own species’ internal demons.

When you consider the other main alien races within the Trek universe, they don’t compare to the type of consistent characterization and development that the Cardassians received. The Andorians and the Tellarites, first seen in The Original Series episode “Journey to Babel”, are not seen again until Enterprise (if we’re not counting The Animated Series ), and even then, we as the audience don’t know that much about them outside of a handful of admittedly wonderful episodes. The Vulcans, surprisingly enough, also fall into this paradigm. Although a Vulcan is the most iconic alien being in all of Trek (in the form of Spock), outside of select scenes from the movies and a handful of episodes from The Original Series and Voyager , the audience doesn’t learn that much about Vulcan culture or society until Enterprise . And although we do learn a lot about Vulcans from that series, particularly how they used to be very much like humans in the past, the fact that they’re in a more evolved and advanced state from humanity takes away from their ability to act as a parallel to our lives now. The Romulans, like their Vulcan cousins, are often referenced in Trek canon, but from what we see of them in terms of characterization and development is often more one-dimensional in nature. The Klingons, probably the most well-known of the Trek races, certainly don’t suffer from a lack of screen time, on television or in the movies. But with a few exceptions, they are also one-note and archetypical in characterization, especially in The Next Generation era. The Bajorans, on the other hand, do not fall into this paradigm.  First introduced in TNG and later in Deep Space Nine , they are admittedly well-drawn both as a culture and as a society, particularly regarding their faith and spirituality. But speaking for myself, the Cardassians are more compelling due to their unique and tragic narrative denouement, something that the Bajorans lack. Cardassia ultimately endures a fate that is akin to the greatest of Greek tragedies and in doing so, truly acts as a cautionary tale for all of humanity.

A Cardassian delegation aboard the Enterprise-D

One of the first things that jump out to long-time fans of the franchise is the fact that the Cardassians didn’t have an origin based upon The Original Series . They were the relative newcomers to the galactic neighborhood, having been introduced in the third season TNG episode “The Wounded”. From their first portrayal here to their eventual role as the primary antagonists in Deep Space Nine , the Cardassians were conceived with the idea that they were going to be more three-dimensional than previous alien races.  The episode’s director, Chip Chalmers  noted  “We introduced a new enemy that’s finally able to speak on the level of Picard. They’re not grunting, they’re not giggling, they’re not mutes or all-knowing entities. Here are the Cardassians who also graduated first in their class and they’re able to carry on highly intelligent conversations with Picard, but they’re sinister as hell. It was fun to introduce a whole new alien race.” In this episode, we see the critical seeds of the more well-known aspects of the Cardassian mindset being planted: their militarism, their inherent suspicion of outsiders, and their penchant for duplicitousness and strategic maneuvering. Indeed, for Cardassia, the only instrument that can ensure order and security is a strong Nation State bound by common purpose, force of arms, and an unwavering sense of right and wrong that can ward off its enemies, both internal and external. In order to ensure the State’s survival, two institutions were key in Cardassian society: the military in the form of the Central Command and the intelligence and internal security apparatus in the form of the Obsidian Order.

  Gul Dukat of the Central Command and Garak, formerly of the Obsidian Order

However, it is important to remember that although a strong militaristic ethos has always infused Cardassian culture, the entire race is not uniformly depicted as such. A number of portrayals do indeed add much needed texture and nuance in this regard.  For example, in the season three DS9 episode titled “Destiny”, there is a marvelous portrayal of Cardassians that have other career paths than ones that aspire to be a glinn, gul, or even legate in the Central Command. As civilian scientists, Ulani Bejor and Gilora Rejal demonstrated that not every Cardassian necessarily desired to join the military or intelligence ranks. Furthermore, as female members of their race, they were able to provide texture and nuance about larger Cardassian gender dynamics, most notably around the idea that since females were perceived to be smarter than their male counterparts, they would naturally gravitate towards the sciences, whereas the males would often be inclined towards “less” intellectually rigorous pursuits such as the military and politics. It’s a shame that the DS9 writers didn’t carry this fascinating idea forward because it serves as a reverse mirror of our own society and how women are still underrepresented in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields today. It was even shown that consummate career military officers, such as Gul Dukat and Gul Madred, also had interests and passions for art, archaeology, philosophy, history, and other intellectual pursuits. There existed a Cardassian Institute for Art and an entire art movement on the homeworld called “The Valonnan School” that ostensibly emphasized impressionistic art. There were entire genres of diverse Cardassian literature that ranged from serialistic poetry to repetitive epics and enigma tales. And perhaps most telling, there even existed a Cardassian underground dissident movement, comprised of academics, scholars, young people, and other idealists, who opposed the stranglehold that the Central Command and the Obsidian Order had on Cardassian society and sought to restore the power of the civilian-led Detapa Council.

Two female Cardassian scientists, Ulani Bejor and Gilora Rejal

Through nearly all of these unique manifestations of Cardassian culture and thought, there is a singular theme that runs through them: the idea that individual needs are subordinate to the collective good of Cardassia. At the heart of this idea to promote the collective good lies the family. Indeed, in the second season DS9 episode “Cardassians”, Kotan Pa’Dar noted that “We care for our parents and our children with equal devotion. In some households, four generations eat at the same table. Family is everything.” Thus, it should come as no surprise that someone such as Elim Garak would consider “The Never Ending Sacrifice”, a literary epic focusing on seven generations of citizens devoted in service to the State, to be the “finest Cardassian novel ever written”. This creed is in essence a variation on the theme that Spock espoused in “The Wrath of Khan” and would later become an informal ethos for the Federation, and by extension humanity: “The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few”. But as evidenced by humanity’s own history, such an ethos can be manipulated and perverted to justify unspeakable crimes and atrocities and Cardassian history is no exception.

A striking example of how this desire for the collective good can be used for terrible ends is witnessing how the Cardassian judicial system operates. In the second season DS9 two-part episode “The Maquis”, Dukat lays out to Commander Sisko its underpinnings:

SISKO: They’ll be tried for their crimes under the Federation Code of Justice. DUKAT: And if they’re found innocent? SISKO: I doubt that they will, but if they are, they’ll be set free. DUKAT: How barbaric. On Cardassia, the verdict is always known before the trial begins. And it’s always the same. SISKO: In that case, why bother with a trial at all? DUKAT: Because the people demand it. They enjoy watching justice triumph over evil every time. They find it comforting. SISKO: Isn’t there ever a chance you might try an innocent man by mistake? DUKAT: Cardassians don’t make mistakes.

A Cardassian trial is publicly broadcast 

Thus, in the view of Cardassian jurisprudence, the individual rights of the accused to face their accuser and the presumption of innocence is completely irrelevant. Their entire concept of justice is precisely inverted from our own in order to vindicate the State, its prosecution, and its methodology in reaching a guilty verdict because it is simply inconceivable that the State, in its effort to promote the collective good, could ever be wrong. In the penultimate episode of that season entitled “The Tribunal”, we see in vivid detail how Cardassian justice is implemented. The following exchange between Miles O’Brien and his state appointed counsel in that episode is particularly revealing.

O’BRIEN: I’ve been told that I’ve already been charged, indicted, convicted, and sentenced. What would I need with a lawyer? KOVAT: Well, Mr. O’Brien, if it sounds immodest of me I apologize, but the role of public conservator is key to the productive functioning of our courts. I’m here to help you concede the wisdom of the state.

Kovat “defending” O’Brien before the Cardassian court

The very title of the state appointed counsel, “public conservator” illustrates the extent to which Cardassian justice is conservative in nature and only seeks to uphold a presumed incorruptible status quo. Such proceedings are then broadcast to the citizenry and to young children in particular in order to strengthen their belief and faith in Cardassian institutions and to provide a cautionary example that criminals in Cardassia are always guilty and should only seek the mercy of the court. This dual imperative of breaking the will of the presumed guilty and showing a younger generation the wisdom of such a process is demonstrated masterfully in TNG’s sixth season two-part episode “Chain of Command” when Madred not only invites his young daughter to the room where he is torturing Captain Picard, but also when it is shown that breaking Picard’s will into recognizing “five lights” is what ultimately mattered to him, instead of any Federation military secrets. Such a portrayal is a vivid and poignant reminder of the show trials, witch hunts, and inquisitions that have marred our own history when governments and regimes have used such dubious tactics in the pursuit of their own definition of “justice”.

Gul Madred bonding with his daughter, with a tortured Picard nearby

The greatest manifestation of how the pursuit of the collective good can be perverted into something terrible is how the Cardassians acted in their dealings with the Bajorans and the Maquis. First introduced in the TNG Season 6 episode titled “Ensign Ro”, the Bajorans were a race that had been subjugated by the Cardassians forty years prior in a grand colonization effort, beginning in 2328 and ending in 2369. During this decades-long period known as “The Occupation”, Cardassians engineered a systematic and coordinated campaign of strip-mining, forced labor, and genocide to control, dominate, and exploit the people and physical resources of Bajor. Those that could escape the devastation being wrought on the surface of Bajor would relocate as refugees throughout the galaxy. And many others would also take part in the Resistance, an organized effort by the Bajorans using whatever tactics (guerrilla, terrorist, or otherwise) to force the Cardassians to withdraw from their homeworld. The Bajorans would eventually succeed in this goal, as seen in “Emissary”, the pilot episode of Deep Space Nine . However, the moral compromises the Bajorans had to make in order to achieve this, when taken into context with the harsh conditions imposed by Cardassia, is a striking and sobering commentary on our own current socio-political issues of displacement, resistance, terrorism, and occupation. And this was achieved because it was always intended to serve such a purpose. Producers Michael Piller and Rick Berman at the time noted that “The Bajorans are the PLO (Palestinian Liberation Organization), but they’re also the Kurds, the Jews, and the American Indians. They are any racially bound group of people who have been deprived of their home by a powerful force”, who in this case was the Cardassian Empire.

  A Cardassian guard closes a gate on Bajoran slave workers

They added, “When you talk about a civilization like the Bajorans who were great architects and builders with enormous artistic skills centuries before humans were even standing erect, you might be thinking a lot more about Indians than Palestinians.” The parallel to the historic plight of Native Americans is especially poignant because it deals directly with another fractious relationship the Cardassians had, this time with the Maquis: Federation colonists who were displaced by the new borders established by the Federation’s peace treaty with Cardassia and refused to leave their homes. They eventually adopted the name “Maquis”, a term dating back to the French underground resistance to the Nazis during the Second World War. The original concept behind the Maquis was conceived of in TNG’s Season 7 episode entitled “Journey’s End”, which featured descendants of Native Americans resettling on a Federation colony near the Cardassian border only to face the threat of forced relocation. The Maquis would eventually come to encompass many other Federation settlers caught behind these new borders, as well as disaffected and disillusioned Starfleet officers who felt that the Federation had sold out its own citizens to appease a duplicitous and aggressive adversary. Consequently, the Maquis would actively engage in insurgent and terrorist actions against both the Federation and the Cardassians in defense of their “independent nation”.

The Maquis and the Cardassians, locked in battle

Cardassian actions to stamp out both the Bajoran and Maquis resistance were cruel, brutal and unrelenting. The Empire’s desire to secure its own collective good at the expense of others would lead to the use of harsh and brutal tactics that often precipitated the use of such tactics in return and perpetuated a bitter cycle of violence. The irony is that these tactics were ultimately counter-productive for Cardassia. Bajor won its independence regardless and the Maquis stubbornly refused to be suppressed. As we have witnessed, there is nothing more dangerous than a national ego that has been bruised. It has spawned two world wars in our own recent history, and countless other conflicts in the past. Cardassia, stinging from its own self-perceived weakness in dealing with the Bajorans and the Maquis and only exacerbated by its recent military losses to the Klingons, would eventually make the ultimate deal with the devil. Under the sway of a charismatic leader in the form of Gul Dukat, Cardassia joined the Dominion with grand notions of renewed patriotism and restored glory.  However, none of this would come to pass. Instead, Dukat’s actions would help plunge the entire Alpha Quadrant into a war that would ultimately leave Cardassia completely broken and its people devastated, with over 800 million of its own citizens dead at war’s end.

  Gul Dukat leading Cardassian and Jem’Hadar forces under the banner of the Dominion

Throughout the broad strokes of Cardassian society and culture, it’s evident we can see so many parallels to our own history. As we ourselves have witnessed, the appeal of patriotism, self-pride, the rule of law, the security of order, and the desire for the collective good are all powerful and beneficial motivators. But they can also be corrupted, manipulated, and exploited to justify unspeakable acts in the name of ensuring and preserving those very same things. But the most important aspect of a mirror is how it reflects everything, both the good and the bad. Thus, the most vital component of the Cardassian mirror for humanity is one that actually represents redemption. And in the grand story of Cardassia, there is no other person that better represents redemption than Damar.

A younger Damar as the model Cardassian soldier

Initially only introduced as a tertiary character and one that was little more than a background henchman for Dukat, the character of Damar eventually became the embodiment of the entire Cardassian people. As the ultimate archetype of a true patriot, he believed that everything done in the name of Cardassia was worth doing and he personally relished in the brutal excesses and military conquests of the State. But only near the end, when he realized what a terrible cost such an attitude inflicted, both on his people and to him personally, Damar became the catalyst for the Cardassians to openly rebel against the Dominion. In doing so, he helped his people break free from the centuries-long cycle of aggression that had finally brought their society to ruin. And much like the symbols of our own history who became martyrs in defense of a greater ideal, Damar’s death in defense of the idea that Cardassia could choose its own fate, one that was no longer driven solely by aggression, was not only his attempt at personal redemption, but also redemption for his entire civilization.

Damar leading the rallying cry of rebellion against the Dominion

  The ruins of Cardassia Prime following the war

When everything said is done, I can’t think of a greater example of a more powerful allegory in Star Trek than the ones told about the Cardassian people. It contains every element of humanity’s own ugly past and present, touching everything from torture, terrorism, slavery, genocide, colonialism, and xenophobia, all terrible acts that unfortunately still haunt us today. But it also balances out this portrayal by showing a race that is not solely defined by these actions. The Cardassians weren’t just fierce prideful warriors, they were passionate poets and writers, talented artists, brilliant scientists, and insightful philosophers as well. And they were also fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters.  In providing such a rich milieu of depth and complexity, the Cardassians are in my opinion the best and most compelling alien race in Star Trek. And in the process, they act as the perfect mirror for humanity, reminding us to always be vigilant against our own internal demons, lest they destroy all of us as well.

Addendum : For those that wish to continue the epic tale of the Cardassians, I highly recommend the excellent Star Trek books of Una McCormack, which can be found here . Known around Trek literary circles as “The Queen of Cardassia”, Ms. McCormack uses her background as a sociologist to further build the world of the Cardassians, particularly in chronicling their struggle and triumphs following the devastating Dominion War.

Acknowledgements : I also like to thank Mark Mitchell, Norman Lao, and my wonderful wife Nicole, for their invaluable help in proofreading and editing this article!

Will Nguyen lives in the Boston area. You can tweet him at @Will_Nguyen . He’s also a regular contributor to Warp 5, a weekly Enterprise show on Trek.fm , a dedicated podcast network that talks about every aspect of the Trek universe from television, the movies, literature, and everything in between.

Will Nguyen is an avowed Star Trek cosplayer and fan. You can follow Will on Twitter @boomerniner .

11 Comments

Felipe Franco

April 19, 2015 at 3:25 am

i Love this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CHFtjXc5qo

I think all the fans we like the Cardassians, they were complex and with a great history.

I like books in the Cardassian Union at the end was rebuilt into a prosperous democratic state which has good relations with its vecionos and eventually joins the kithomer accords

Jeff O'Connor

April 25, 2015 at 6:27 am

What a beautiful article. Thank you so much for summing up just why I fell in love with the Cardassians. When I was a kid I’m sure most of this stuff flew over my head, but now as an adult whenever I rewatch DS9 I pick up on another layer of depth. It’s great to see it all compiled in a single place!

Ms. McCormack’s novels are indeed terrific continuations, too.

Will Nguyen

April 29, 2015 at 4:19 pm

Thank you so much for the kind words! Thanks for reading.

Adam Hirsch

April 29, 2015 at 1:13 am

“…define humanity, they also define the Cardassians ….a striking parallel to much of human history,” fun fact kardas(cardas) is the word for sibling in turkic languages

Harry Hollins

April 13, 2016 at 1:28 pm

My favorite species. Well written, you understand them well.

Christopher Dalton

November 22, 2016 at 11:00 am

Never liked the Cardassians and I never will. They got what they deserved in the end. The downfall of their entire race and their society ruined.

A clear message of where the state of humanity is going if it does not straighten its act out and for the better.

November 25, 2016 at 11:29 pm

They also goes along with the deterioration of the temperament of Star Trek which Mr. Roddenberry himself created and enforced while he was alive. After his passing, the canon of Star Trek deteriorated away from his nearly-ideal utopia and a goal to strive for and turned into the cliché and proverbial lion’s den where peace and utopia and righteousness are mere plot pawns. Star Trek is dead.

Winnie the GRIZZ

May 31, 2017 at 11:00 pm

While the Federation was presented as a Utopian society, there were others that were still a dystopia allegory. The first episode I can think of is the white blacks vs. the black whites eventually killing each other TOS. That is also part of what made Star Trek good science fiction. Aren’t the Romulans also a xenophobic echo of the Roman empire, and the Ferengi unrestrained capitalism, etc.etc.?The Cardassian story arc was much longer than one episode, and the Enterprise/Voyager couldn’t waltz away from the problem (which was never resolved or even returned to except for Kahn in Star Trek 2). Watching through DS9 again, I see myself watching Bajor, the Federation, the Klingons, the Cardassians, and even the Romulans striving to achieve their nearly-ideal utopia. Maybe this is a better Star Trek than Captain Kirk taking a heavy battleship into the heart of the Dominion and using his libido on a Changeling woman in a bikini to solve the problem. End of episode; now onto romancing the Borg queen.

May 31, 2017 at 11:15 pm

Mrs. Grizz here (AKA Free the Birds) Recently, it occurred to me that all of the worst Star Trek enemies have something in common: they are all, to some degree, Statists. The Borg and the Founders were the ultimate Collectivists. The Klingons, Cardassians, and Romulans were all large empires ruled by a very small ruling class. Average citizens are not given much, if any, say in the governance of their respective empires. This goes against the American ideal of individualism and self-government. Gene Roddenberry’s vision of the future was very much like this, and even the Prime Directive allowed cultures not in the Federation to be self-governing, rather than imposing our culture, ideals, religion, economic and political system on them.

August 22, 2019 at 8:31 pm

So they made a more “three-dimensional” race of aliens by basically just making them NAZIS? Great writing guys.

Simon Foston

Excellent article. It makes me want a lot more Cardassian stories in Star Trek.

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Star Trek's One-Hit Wonder Alien Species, Ranked

We may have only seen them once, but they made the most of their limited time.

StarTrek.com

When it comes to Star Trek aliens, the Klingons are as ubiquitous as the Beatles, while the Ferengi are more of “Top 40” choice, the Andorians are like an indie band, and the Romulans are whatever type of music you hate the most.

But what about the one-hit wonder alien races — the species that only appeared in one episode (or movie), but who we still think about all the time? Some looked unique, others communicated or reproduced differently, and many taught us important lessons about our own humanity. Here are some of our favorite one-hit wonder species.

10. The Nibirans

What happens when you disobey the Prime Directive? The Nibirans — aka, the species seen chasing down Kirk and McCoy in the opening of Star Trek Into Darkness — give us a possible answer. After getting a good look at the Enterprise , the primitive race sets aside their sacred scroll to draw pictures of the starship instead. Kirk gets demoted for “playing god” and you have to wonder how things changed on the planet Nibiru after that. Was an Enterprise shrine built inside the volcano Spock kept from blowing up?

9. The Kradin

When Chakotay’s shuttlecraft crash-lands on an unknown planet in Star Trek: Voyager 's " Nemesis ," he’s taken in by a group of earnest, plucky rebels fighting an unjust war against a murderous race called the Kradin. Chakotay sees the monstrous-looking Kradin abducting elderly villagers, harassing children, and killing his comrades — but it turns out it’s all a holosimulation designed to recruit fighters from the crews of passing ships. The Kradin are actually the good guys! But even after finding out the truth, Chakotay discovers that he still doesn’t want to be in the same room as one. “I wish it was as easy to stop hating as it is to start,” he tells Janeway.

When dealing with a shy, nervous race, send in the Irish guy. That seems to be Sisko’s thinking when he asks Chief O’Brien to befriend an alien whose ship he’s fixing in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's " Captive Pursuit ." O’Brien suspects he’s on the run, but he and the rest of the crew can’t get him to tell them what he’s running from. The riddle is solved when a hunter shows up, looking for his “prey.” Turns out, his species breeds Tosk to hunt them down, yet consider them sacred. The Tosk in their custody refuses asylum to avoid dishonor, so O’Brien helps him escape to live another day trying to evade the hunters.

7. The Tamarians

Shaka, when the walls fell!

If these words mean anything to you, you’re a fan of the memorable Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “ Darmok ,” which finds Picard stranded on a planet with a starship captain from a race known as the Children of Tama . Although his fellow maroon-ee seems relatively friendly, they can’t communicate, despite Picard’s universal translator. But literally no one is worried that Picard might not live up to the challenge. He figures out that the Tamarians speak in allegory, and learns what all the important ones mean in less time than you can say “Darmok and Jalad on the ocean.”

6. The Horta

The first silicon-based lifeform to be introduced in the Star Trek universe, the Horta might prompt you to utter, “I’m a doctor, not a bricklayer!" That is, of course, if you’re Dr. McCoy and have been sent to nurse the rocky-looking creature in The Original Series episode, " The Devil in the Dark ." Spock, on the other hand, performs a mind-meld and finds he quite likes the alien, who admires his ears. IRL, the unique-looking creature was the brainchild of Janos Prohaska, who originally created it for The Outer Limits , where it appears as a giant germ. According to Inside Star Trek: The Real Story , he added some fringe and veins to transform it into a miner’s worst nightmare on Star Trek .

5. The Kobali

How would a humanoid species reproduce, if not sexually? An interesting answer to this question is given in the Voyager episode “ Ashes to Ashes ,” which features the Kobali, a species that salvages dead bodies and implants them with a genetic pathogen. The pathogen causes their DNA to change and their bodies to reanimate. In the process, their memories are wiped — except for the few who still remember who they were the first time they were alive. One such Kobali is Jhet'leya, aka Ensign Lyndsay Ballard , who died on an away mission. When she shows up at Voyager in her now-altered form, more goes wrong than she expects — and that doesn’t even include hooking up with Harry Kim.

4. The Gormagander

If you love marine life, you can’t help but squee a little when the Gormagander makes his appearance in Star Trek: Discovery 's " Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad ." Also known as a space whale, these endangered creatures just float around space, chilling. When the Discovery crew encounters one, it seems injured; they beam it aboard to take it to a wildlife sanctuary.

A good idea until they find out that the Gormagander is actually experiencing its own personal Jonah-and-the-whale situation. Hiding inside is the infamous Harvey Mudd, who’s later brought up on charges for “penetrating a space whale” (among many other things) in The Original Series.

3. The Flying Parasites

They were never really given a name, but don’t let that fool you — you do not want to run into the flying parasites that the Enterprise encounters on Deneva in " Operation: Annihilate! "

They sting, they know how to fly, they’re resistant to phasers — oh, and they made Kirk’s brother Sam go insane, then murdered him. These nightmare-inducing aliens, which look sort of like rubber placentas, are still no match for Spock, however. Although one latches onto his back, he overcomes the pain and the brainwashing, kidnaps one of the parasites to study, then has McCoy test out Kirk’s theory as to how to kill it. The procedure successfully releases him from the creature’s grasp, and even blindness can’t keep Spock down — thanks to his inner eyelids, the side effect is only temporary.

2. The Cheron

When the Enterprise encounters a comatose member of a new alien species from a planet that’s recently been destroyed, the fact that he has some organs Dr. McCoy has never seen is hardly the most notable thing about him. His skin is dark black on one side, and bright white on the other, leading McCoy and crew to decide he’s probably a mutant. But when they pick up a second survivor named Bele , he too has the unique pigmentation. There’s one problem — the two men hate each other.

In an unexpected twist, Bele (played by Frank Goshin, two years after portraying The Riddler in Batman ), explains to Kirk that the reason is obvious — he’s black on his right side, while the other Cheron is white on his right side. The episode " Let That Be Your Last Battlefield " is such a powerful allegory for racism that it stuck with a generation of fans who had only seen it on television one time.

What does pure evil look like? If you said “a sentient pool of tar,” from " Skin of Evil ," then you know why The Next Generation ’s Armus is number one on this list.

Literally a discarded second skin of everything “evil and negative within” from another race who abandoned it on a desolate planet, Armus displays his sinister intentions immediately by senselessly murdering Tasha Yar. Picard is ultimately able to distract him with his dazzling intellect (and some poetry) long enough to get the rest of his crew off the surface, but the act of killing Yar has repercussions that reverberate throughout the rest of the series.

This article was originally published on August 12, 2019.

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Jennifer Boudinot (she/her) is a freelance writer whose work has appeared on Collider, The Belladonna Comedy, and Points in Case. She's also the co-author of the books Dangerous Cocktails and Viva Mezcal. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, and is a Kira with a hint of Dax. Find her on Twitter @jenboudinot.

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

• Societies and Cultures

Star Trek: The 50 Best Alien Races

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A species or race was any class of lifeform that had common attributes and were designated by a common name .

• 1 Observations
• 2.1.1 By location
• 2.1.2 By evolution
• 2.1.3 By association
• 2.2 Noncorporeal
• 2.3 Artificial
• 2.4 Trans-dimensional
• 4 External links

Observations [ ]

According to Data , " in the game of military brinksmanship , individual physical prowess is less important than the perception of a species as a whole. " However, according to Worf , if " no one is willing to test that perception in combat [..] then the reputation means nothing. " ( TNG : " Peak Performance ")

Data also " observed that in most species, there is a primal instinct to perpetuate themselves. " ( TNG : " The Offspring ")

Classifications [ ]

Corporeal [ ].

Corporeal lifeforms have a physical body , usually composed of carbon- - or silicon-based cellular structures . Most corporeal species metabolize energy by consuming food or by photosynthesis , and have a finite life cycle consisting of distinct periods of growth, maturity, and senescence. Intelligent corporeal species frequently enhance their capabilities with technology .

By location [ ]

• Alpha and Beta Quadrant species
• Gamma Quadrant species
• Delta Quadrant species
• Extra-galactic species
• Spaceborne species

By evolution [ ]

• Anthropomorphic species
• Humanoid species
• Non-humanoid species
• Omnicordial lifeform

By association [ ]

• Borg species
• Dominion species
• Starfleet species

Noncorporeal [ ]

Non-corporeal species were composed of various forms of coherent gas or energy . Most noncorporeal species absorb and utilize energy directly from their environment. Generally, noncorporeal species do not utilize technology, compensating with intrinsic physiological capabilities. Some noncorporeal species have evolved beyond the need for sustenance, and wield substantial control over space and time .

Artificial [ ]

Artificial lifeforms were usually created by another species, and can be sentient by design or have attained sentience spontaneously. There are two general types of artificial life: The first is a machine constructed from mechanical components. The second is a software program, which is reliant on a suitable computer in which to exist. These programs may manifest themselves physically in the form of holograms , which sometimes developed self-awareness .

Trans-dimensional [ ]

Trans-dimensional beings were lifeforms originating from a reality outside the normal space-time continuum. They can take a variety of forms which may or may not be comparable to those in this universe, depending on the nature of their native realm. Some trans-dimensional species are unable to survive in this universe without assistance.

See also [ ]

• Civilization
• Joined species
• Master race
• Race (species subclassification)
• Shapeshifting species
• Species reassignment protocol
• Telepathic species

External links [ ]

• Species at Wikipedia
• Race at Wikipedia
• 1 Bell Riots
• 3 Daniels (Crewman)

15 of the Most Bizarre Alien Species Featured in 'Star Trek'

"star trek" aliens.

"Star Trek" is filled with unusual aliens, ranging from the humanoid to the crystalloid to the god-like. Here are some of the more unique species from the live-action "Star Trek" series. Please note: We deliberately exclude the more well-known alien races, and limit each of the series to three entries to try to include samples from across the canon. If we missed anything bizarre, tell us in the comments!

1. Salt vampire ("Star Trek: The Original Series," 1966-1969)

The very first episode of "Star Trek" showed promise when it came to weird aliens. An old flame of one of the crew members, Nancy Crater, turns out to be a projection of a sort of salt vampire that soon runs amok on the USS Enterprise. This alien species cannot live long without salt, so it attacks crew members and sucks them dry of essential salts. The creature is eventually stopped in part by a sort of mouse trap that — of course — uses salt. [ What I Learned by Watching Every 'Star Trek' Show and Movie ]

2. Horta ("Star Trek: The Original Series," 1966-1969)

This is a species of silicon-based life (humans, by comparison, are carbon-based) that prefers to feed on rocks. In a moving episode, "The Devil In The Dark," the crew discovers that the aliens are actually intelligent and very loyal to their offspring — but only after the Vulcan alien Spock does a mind-meld with one of the creatures, which is being persecuted by miners angry at the destruction it has caused.

3. Gorn ("Star Trek: The Original Series," 1966-1969)

A member of this extremely strong (but intelligent) reptilian species engages in famous hand-to-hand combat with Capt. James T. Kirk in the episode "Arena." The only way Kirk manages to overpower him is by finding the ingredients for gunpowder on the alien planet on which he is trapped, using his own uniform to help with the ignition. As an honorary mention, we should also include The Metrons, a species that can manipulate energy and matter at will — these are the aliens that set up the fight in the first place, because they are mad at their space being invaded.

4. Q ("Star Trek: The Next Generation," 1987-1994)

Simultaneously terrifying and witty, Q is a seemingly supernatural being who pops up on the USS Enterprise periodically to play tricks on the crew. Some of his memorable actions include giving Q-like powers to a member of the Enterprise (arguing that humans always love learning), and putting humanity on trial for its past crimes while wearing period uniforms from over the centuries. Q, however, isn't all trickster. Alongside his antics, he does warn humanity about the approach of the Borg, which is trying to assimilate all species into a collective. [ The Evolution of 'Star Trek' (Infographic) ]

5. Tamarian ("Star Trek: The Next Generation," 1987-1994)

This species is a tongue-twister for the usual translators that Starfleet officers carry. While the translators can literally tell us what the Tamarians are saying, it's hard to understand what is going on because the species is speaking in metaphors. (Some examples from Memory Alpha: "Temba, his arms wide/open," which means a gift, or "the river Temarc in winter," which refers to the need for silence.) In the episode "Darmok," Capt. Jean-Luc Picard must learn to communicate with a Tamarian quickly before they are both killed by a hostile beast.

6. Crystalline Entity ("Star Trek: The Next Generation," 1987-1994)

This alien goes in the "beautiful but deadly" category, as the crystalline entity was breathtaking to watch in space — it looked a bit like a snowflake, or small and shiny diamonds. However, the entity had a nasty side to it: It could quickly devour all life in its wake. The USS Enterprise finally defeated the entity by sending graviton pulses that eventually broke it into pieces. But sadly, the crew couldn't stop the pulses in time when they realized the creature might be trying to communicate with them.

7. Changeling ("Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," 1993-1999)

Fans of the series will instantly remember changelings, as their numbers included one of the series' main characters — Odo, the sarcastic security officer aboard the space station Deep Space 9. Changelings were made up of an orange liquid that in the "Star Trek" universe is technically referred to as a "morphogenic matrix." Changelings were able to morph into pretty much anything they wanted to, including inanimate objects or even to resemble humans. [ Love of 'Star Trek' Inspires Highly Illogical Careers ]

8. Jem'Hadar ("Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," 1993-1999)

Jem'Hadar were one of a few "Star Trek" aliens with very different life cycles than humans. In their case, they were created in "birthing chambers" and were able to reach maturity in just three days. They also fed on a drug called Ketracel-white, which contained an enzyme they needed to survive. That enzyme was deliberately withheld during birthing by the Vorta, who created the Jem'Hadar; this gave the Vorta power over the Jem'Hadar and a captive economy for distributing the drug.

9. Trill ("Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," 1993-1999)

A main character on "Deep Space Nine" was from the Trill species — Jadzia Dax. Most of the Trill were fairly unremarkable, but there were a small number (including Dax) who lived with a symbiont inside their bodies. This symbiont was intelligent, but required a host organism to survive; it was common to transfer symbionts to young bodies when the older host organism was close to death. This meant that in the case of Dax, the symbiont transferred from an older man to a younger woman, prompting surprise from an old friend, Capt. Benjamin Sisko, the first time he met the younger Dax on Deep Space 9.

10. Hirogen ("Star Trek: Voyager," 1995-2001)

This alien was a brutal enemy of anything in the "Star Trek" universe, simply because the Hirogen consider themselves the dominant species and anything they run across as prey. Their entire culture was focused on hunting down other species, and they had the ability (if required) to break down bones and muscle tissue to eat the prey. Not someone you'd want to invite to dinner.

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Elizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., is a staff writer in the spaceflight channel since 2022 covering diversity, education and gaming as well. She was contributing writer for Space.com for 10 years before joining full-time. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House and Office of the Vice-President of the United States, an exclusive conversation with aspiring space tourist (and NSYNC bassist) Lance Bass, speaking several times with the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, flying parabolic, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, " Why Am I Taller ?", is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams. Elizabeth holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Space Studies from the University of North Dakota, a Bachelor of Journalism from Canada's Carleton University and a Bachelor of History from Canada's Athabasca University. Elizabeth is also a post-secondary instructor in communications and science at several institutions since 2015; her experience includes developing and teaching an astronomy course at Canada's Algonquin College (with Indigenous content as well) to more than 1,000 students since 2020. Elizabeth first got interested in space after watching the movie Apollo 13 in 1996, and still wants to be an astronaut someday. Mastodon: https://qoto.org/@howellspace

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15 Greatest Star Trek Villains Of All Time, Ranked

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The Star Trek universe has grown by leaps and bounds since the first episode aired on September 8, 1966. The fan-favorite series is famous for depicting a future where mankind has come to find peace. Humanity now traveled the stars seeking new life and new civilizations. Star Trek has given the world of pop culture quite a few different heroes. Star Trek is nearly 60 years old, and the science fiction saga created by Gene Roddenberry only lasted this long because of its heroes.

With Star Trek , its villains are often mere ideas, misunderstood alien creatures, or entire races created as a metaphorical allegory. Still, Captain Kirk, Spock, Jean-Luc Picard, or Seven of Nine transcend even their own heroic status when they come face-to-face with a real villain. From Khan Noonien Singh to the nameless Borg, Star Trek 's villains may not be as iconic as that other space franchise, but they nonetheless stand apart from the typical threat to the United Federation of Planets . While not every villain has stood out over time, some have become as well-known as Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock. These are the villains that have left an impression not only in the Star Trek universe but in pop culture as a whole. They are presented in chronological order based on their first appearance in the franchise.

Updated on December 30, 2023, by Robert Vaux: The article has been updated to include details on each character and when they appeared in the franchise. The entries have also been reorganized to better rank each villain accordingly.

15 Gary Mitchell Tried To Turn The Captain Kirk Against His Crew

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Gary Mitchell appeared in one of the most memorable episodes of Star Trek: TOS . He started as a close friend of Captain Kirk and the ship's navigator for the USS Enterprise . However, the Galactic Barrier irradiated Mitchell, and he gained supernatural powers. Gary's powers continued to intensify, and as he grew more powerful, he became less human.

Gary Mitchell lost all connection to his humanity, and he put the crew of the Enterprise at risk. He tried to force Captain Kirk to do the one thing no good leader ever wants to do; kill his own crewmate. Gary Mitchell set the standard for what made a good Star Trek villain. He was a character fans rooted against even as they felt for him. This episode was the second pilot for Star Trek: The Original Series . While Captain James T. Kirk proved to be the hero NBC wanted, he needed Gary Mitchell to show them why.

14 The Romulan Star Empire Attacked From The Shadows

While the Romulans have never been given the same standing in pop culture as the Klingons, they are arguably even more villainous. The Earth-Romulan War led to the creation of the United Federation of Planets. The secretive Romulans were so elusive that no one saw their faces for over a hundred years. While there have been many dangerous individual Romulans, like Nero, perhaps the most sinister was Picard 's Narek. A member of the Zhat Vash, hidden within the Tal Shiar "secret police," he used kindness and empathy as his weapon against Soji Asha, the "daughter" of Star Trek: TNG 's Data.

When Romulans first showed up in The Original Series , it shocked everyone to learn that they looked just like Vulcans. The Romulans were an offshoot of the Vulcan race from millennia before the series. They refused to bury their feelings and become purely logical beings, which led them to establish their own society. By the time of the 32nd Century, however, the Vulcans and Romulans reunited thanks to Spock's efforts.

13 Khan Noonien Singh Left Destruction In His Wake

Deanna troi's importance to star trek: tng exceeds her romance with riker.

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A former ruler of Earth, Khan Noonien Singh was a genetically engineered superhuman who rose to power during the Eugenics Wars. He became Star Trek 's greatest villain after he was overthrown and exiled into space. In Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , he and his surviving fellow "augments" nearly killed everyone on the Enterprise . To save the ship, beloved character Spock died .

Khan stands out as not only the greatest villain in Star Trek but one of the greatest villains in sci-fi. The Wrath of Khan reinvigorated the Star Trek franchise, leading to a series of sequels and new shows that continue to this day. Khan was such a compelling villain that he was even brought back for the second movie in the reboot trilogy, Star Trek Into Darkness . His descendant, La'an Noonien Singh, serves as the Chief of Security on the Enterprise in Strange New Worlds .

12 The Klingon Empire Was Ruthless And Formidable

One of the best-known alien races from the Star Trek franchise is the Klingons. They started as an allegorical representation of the Soviet Union to Starfleet's America in The Original Series . By the time of Star Trek: TNG , it was revealed that the Klingons made a tenuous peace with the United Federation of Planets. This was set in motion in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country , paralleling the fall of the Soviet Union.

However, Kruge, played by Christopher Lloyd in The Search for Spock , was perhaps the most formidable of all, because he killed Captain Kirk's son, David Marcus. The Federation-Klingon War seen in the first season of Star Trek: Discovery featured the Klingons as one of the greatest foes in Star Trek . Despite the heroic actions of Lt. Cmdr Worf in The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine , Klingons like Kruge and General Chang prove that one can never turn their backs on the Klingons.

11 Q and the Q Continuum Were Over-Powered

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Introduced in Star Trek: The Next Generation , Q is an extradimensional being of unknown origin who appears to have nearly full control over all time and space. He is a member of a continuum of other beings, who also identify as "Q," meant to keep the cosmic balance of the universe. Q takes a specific interest in Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of his Enterprise. He put them on "trial" to see if humanity had overcome their "savage" nature. If Picard failed to convince Q, he would erase humanity from the galaxy.

While many of Q's exploits were fun to watch, it was his actions that first brought the Federation to the attention of the Borg. Q tried to play his games with another of Star Trek 's best captains, Benjamin Sisko. He quickly discovered that not every human was as willing to play along with his whims when Sisko punched the omnipotent being. He also frequently visited Captain Janeway on the USS Voyager, including involving her in the Q Continuum civil war that only ended when the fan-favorite Q mated with another of his species.

10 Lore Was A Master Manipulator

One of the things some fans forget about Data is that he has a brother. Dr. Noonien Soong created Lore, who is a prototype android and the older brother of Lt. Cmdr. Data. He had emotions, but his inability to handle his feelings properly led to Lore becoming a dangerous villain. He believed he was better than humans and other organic lifeforms.

Throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation , Lore believed he was not only superior to living beings but to his brother Data as well. His association with powerful forces like the Crystalline Entity allowed him to manipulate it and turn it towards destruction. Lore would later lead a group of Borg against the crew of the Enterprise. However, his ego would eventually lead to his destruction.

9 Armus Killed Lt. Tasha Yar

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While there were several "redshirts" who died in service to the Enterprise , no member of the main bridge crew was permanently killed off without being resurrected somehow. That all changed in Star Trek: The Next Generation 's "Skin of Evil" from the first season. A few of the best members of Star Trek: TNG 's away team encountered a powerful being known as Armus.

Armus was a being composed of the discarded evil from an ancient race of alien celestials. He had incredible psionic abilities that he used to strike down Lt. Tasha Yar. She died instantly, and Armus threatened other members of the crew by trapping them inside his inky liquid body. Picard outsmarted Armus and free his crew members, but the damage was done. Denise Crosby, the actor who played Yar, wanted to leave the series during its tumultuous first season. However, she would return in "Yesterday's Enterprise" and "Unification I & II."

8 The Borg Queen Led A Conquering Army

One of the most dangerous enemies from Star Trek: TNG was the Borg . They were a hivemind of cyborgs that hoped to wipe out all living things in the universe and replace them. The Borg go from planet to planet, assimilating the alien races they come across and turning them into Borg. They also used up the resources of the planets to fuel their evolution and power their ships.

The Borg Queen led the Collective when they threatened the Enterprise in Star Trek: First Contact . The only true threat to the Borg was the Federation, and they even attempted to assimilate Earth in the past to erase its place in history. The Borg were ultimately defeated by a one-two punch (separated by 25 years) from Captains Picard and Janeway. In the Voyager series finale, a time-traveling Admiral Janeway poisoned the collective while also using them to get the lost ship back to the Alpha Quadrant. In Picard Season 3, the Borg made a last-ditch attempt to assimilate Starfleet but were defeated by the crew of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-D.

7 The Cardassian Empire Had A Violent History Of War And Oppression

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Star Trek: The Next Generation introduced a few new alien species who would become lasting threats to the Federation. The Cardassians were a xenophobic race of aliens involved in quite a few violent skirmishes over territory. They also occupied the planet of Bajor and committed several atrocities before the enslavement ended. Ensign Ro Laren was the first recurring Bajoran character, until Major Kira Nerys became Benamin Sisko's first officer on the Deep Space Nine station, originally built by the Cardassians to further oppress Bajor.

There were a few memorable Cardassian soldiers who left a lasting impression on fans. Gul Madred captured and psychologically tormented Captain Picard in "Chain of Command." The former head of Deep Space Nine was Gul Dukat, who was responsible for war crimes against the Bajoran people. If Deep Space Nine had a central villain, it was Gul Dukat, who ultimately met his end along with Captain Sisko in the series finale.

6 The Changelings and the Dominion Sought Power

While Captain Picard's biggest problems were Q and the Borg, Captain Sisko and the crew of Deep Space Nine had to deal with the Dominion. Hailing from the Gamma Quadrant, the Dominion was essentially an evil version of the United Federation of Planets. Made up of hundreds of races, the Dominion looked to expand past the Gamma Quadrant using the Bajoran Wormhole. Called "the Founders" by other Dominion races, a character known only as "the female changeling" led their war effort.

The Dominion War lasted two years and became one of the deadliest wars in Federation history. It only ended when a secretive faction of Starfleet, known as Section 31, created a deadly plague. It threatened to wipe out the shape-shifting alien race known as the Founders, who led the Dominion. Od o, the constable of Deep Space Nine, was a changeling who didn't know his history. In their liquid state, changelings can "join." He administered the cure first to the female changeling and then, in the series finale, returned to their home, the Great Link, to cure the rest of his species. Little is known about what happened to other Dominion races.

5 The Hirogen Were Blood-Thirsty Hunters

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A species of hunters, The Hirogen harried the USS Voyager as they attempted to return to Federation space. Wanting the Voyager and her crew as trophies, various groups of the Hirogen attacked the lost ship numerous times throughout the series. With their insatiable need for the hunt, the Hirogen proved one of Voyager's toughest challenges.

The encounters varied from one or two of the crew coming across the Hirogen to a two-part episode where some Hirogen, including Alpha Karr and his second Turanj, capture the ship. They force the brainwashed crew into performing various scenarios on the Holodeck, including a version of German-occupied France. When Captain Janeway successfully negotiated a cease-fire with Karr, Turanj killed him and tried to continue hunting the crew.

4 'Boothby' and Species 8472 Could Impersonate Others To Get Their Way

Despite only appearing in a few episodes, Species 8472 was one of the most dangerous enemies the Voyager ever faced. Hailing from another dimension known as "fluidic space," Species 8472 used a form of biotechnology for the ships and weapons. After their first entry into the dimension Star Trek heroes occupy, they set up a holographic Starfleet headquarters as a reconnaissance operation, including duplicating legendary Academy groundskeeper Boothby, played by the late Ray Walston.

Initially, they posed such a threat that it took an uneasy alliance between the Voyager and the Borg to defeat them, bringing Seven of Nine into the crew. Yet, Captain Janeway learned Species 8472 wasn't as aggressive as the Borg claimed. Rather, the Borg tried to assimilate them, and they assumed all creatures in the galaxy were like the Borg. The member of Species 8472 who impersonated Boothby was a threat but not unreasonable. He later told Janeway he would try to convince his fellows to not invade the Milky Way.

3 The Xindi Murdered Millions Of Humans During Their Attack On Earth

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The Xindi were a species made up of a collective of six alien races located in the Delphic Expanse. There were the humanoid primates, the ape-like aboreals, an insectoid race, an aquatic race, and the militant, villainous reptilians. The main villains in the third season of the controversial Star Trek: Enterprise , the Xindi sent a superweapon to Earth after hearing that Starfleet planned to destroy them, designed by primate scientist Degra.

The Xindi superweapon killed seven million people and left a scar stretching from Florida to Venezuela. The Xindi stand out as the only enemies in all of Star Trek — besides humans, of course — who have caused serious damage to Earth. After being captured and deceived by the NX-01 Enterprise crew, Degra realized the Xindi had been duped by another alien race from another dimension. They built spheres throughout the Delphic Expanse meant to "terraform" the galaxy so their people could live in it. Only after the Xindi and humanity united were the Sphere-Builders defeated.

2 Nero Destroyed The Planet Vulcan

Introduced in the 2009 Star Trek reboot, Nero was a Romulan, one of the greatest adversaries of Star Trek 's Federation. Nero blamed Spock for the destruction of the Romulan homeworld. Nero traveled 129 years into the past, which allowed him to use his superior technology to attack the USS Kelvin, a Federation ship on which James T. Kirk's parents were stationed. He and his mother lived, while his father died with the ship.

This created the "Kelvin Timeline" an alternate reality like the Mirror Universe, but one where different versions of Kirk, Spock, McCoy, and the rest lived "new" lives. One of Nero's most villainous acts was using implosive "red matter" to destroy the planet Vulcan. Nero's actions set the course for the new Star Trek films, while the current TV shows continued in the original timeline. Later, Star Trek: Picard revealed the destruction of Romulus had lasting consequences there as well.

1 Captain Gabriel Lorca Used His Position To Manipulate His Crew

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Star Trek: The Next Generation was a gamble that almost didn't pay off due to the show facing many challenges behind-the-scenes in its early seasons.

Star Trek: Discovery introduced the titular new ship and its captain, Gabriel Lorca . He recruited Michael Burnham to his crew and manipulated his mission orders to take the Discovery to another reality. Lorca was secretly from the Mirror Universe, a dark alternate reality that first appeared in The Original Series , and was revisited in both Deep Space Nine and Enterprise . He's become something of a standard-bearer for the concept, which the franchise periodically returns to in order to explore its protagonists' dark sides.

Lorca was a traitor who turned on the Terran Emperor in the Mirror Universe. He escaped punishment by accidentally traveling to another reality. Lorca took the place of his counterpart, using his rank in Starfleet to get assigned to the one ship that could take him home. Lorca was conniving and determined, but still a captain who could inspire his crew. He was a dangerous enemy, emblematic of the third wave of Star Trek .

The Star Trek universe encompasses multiple series, each offering a unique lens through which to experience the wonders and perils of space travel. Join Captain Kirk and his crew on the Original Series' voyages of discovery, encounter the utopian vision of the Federation in The Next Generation, or delve into the darker corners of galactic politics in Deep Space Nine. No matter your preference, there's a Star Trek adventure waiting to ignite your imagination.

Every STAR TREK Series, Ranked from Worst to Best

Star Trek is a pop culture franchise that just won’t quit. Now over five decades into its existence, it has outgrown its humble beginnings as a low-budget sci-fi show with a loyal cult following, and into a true cultural juggernaut. Who doesn’t know the phrases “beam me up” or “ live long and prosper? ” It’s ingrained in our collective psyche. And the franchise is going stronger than ever, with several shows currently airing. But of all these new series, and the many that came before, which one is the cream of the crop? It’s time to evaluate each of the eleven series set in the Final Frontier from the past 55 years .  Here’s our ranking of every Star Trek series, from worst to best.

11. Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973-1975)

Yes, it’s at the bottom, but I’d never say this is a bad series. There are some smart sci-fi scripts spread throughout the show’s two-season run, notably the time-travel episode “Yesteryear,” which gave us a glimpse into Spock’s childhood. But the animation was really limited due to budget constraints, and the voice actors didn’t even record together (and it shows). We give it points for keeping the Trek flames burning in the long decade between the original series and Star Trek: The Motion Picture , but it still ranks last. If only because there’s simply not enough of it.

10. Star Trek: Lower Decks (2020-Present)

We’re now three seasons into the first animated Trek show since the ’70s, and also the first overtly comedic sh o w in the franchise’s history. Lower Decks centers around a second-tier starship’s junior crew, and so far, it has gained quite a cult following. The mix of irreverent humor and lovable characters has made it very endearing. It’s also very faithful to Star Trek lore (if not Star Trek storytelling sensibilities .) But the show is ultimately too fluffy to place any higher. That could change down the line of course. But for now, the crew of the U.S.S. Cerritos is near the bottom. They’re probably used to it.

9. Star Trek: Enterprise (2001-2005)

This is the fourth and last Star Trek series of the Rick Berman era. The show ran on UPN for four seasons, making it the shortest run of the modern Trek series (so far). Despite a winning cast lead by Scott Bakula as Captain Jonathan Archer, this prequel show to the original Trek felt stuck in the television tropes of the prior decade. It didn’t really even feel like a true Star Trek prequel until the show’s wonderful fourth and final season. But that season’s not enough to save the show’s legacy as a whole. Also, the theme song was pretty cringe-worthy and out of place for a Star Trek series.

8. Star Trek: Picard (2020-Present)

This live-action series saw the return of Sir Patrick Stewart as the (now retired) Jean-Luc Picard . Although the series started out promisingly , its plot about a race of artificial lifeforms was ultimately way too similar to Battlestar Galactica and Blade Runner, both of which did the same story, but better. It also showed the once-Utopian world of the 24th century as a place now filled with bitter, broken people, which was a bummer. Stewart is fantastic as always, and his inner journey helped the show remain very watchable. But the promise of a full TNG cast reunion in the third and final season could push this series much higher. 

7. Star Trek: Discovery (2017-Present)

Star Trek: Discovery is the franchise’s current “flagship show.” Four seasons in, the show is definitely a mixed bag. On the pro side: the cast—headed by Sonequa Martin-Green—is truly fantastic, and it has the best production value of any Trek to date. But like too much modern Trek , it often feels like it’s cribbing from other (more popular) franchises. Its prequel timeline/continuity was also handled messily from the get-go.

The series’ first two seasons are set about a decade before the original series. But in season three, the show went way past where any Trek has gone before, by jumping 1,000 years into the future. This was ultimately a good thing, as the journey past the prequel timeline and into an unknown future gave the show a much-needed shot in the arm. And season four further improved upon the third. Maybe with time, Discovery will move up higher on this list.

6. Star Trek: Prodigy (2021-Present)

Star Trek: Prodigy is the first animated all-ages Star Trek series since the 1973 Saturday morning cartoon show. Because of this, many fans dismissed it offhand before it ever aired. But Prodigy , about a group of misfit kids who commandeer a prototype Federations starship, the Protostar , in the far reaches of space, turned out to be absolutely delightful. And very true to the core, exploratory spirit of the franchise .

The camaraderie between the main cast of kids is always heartwarming, and this series has more ties to greater franchise lore than most other modern Trek shows. Of course, the addition of Kate Mulgrew as Kathryn Janeway, both the “training hologram” version, and the actual Admiral Janeway, that’s just the cherry on top. One of the best modern Star Trek shows, “kid’s show” or not.

5. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022-Present)

It almost feels like cheating, putting a show with just one season behind it so high on this list. But so far, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is the best Trek series of the modern streaming era. It also has had the best first season of any Trek since the original series. Technically a prequel to the original show , SNW fulfills the promise of that first unaired pilot episode “The Cage,” by focusing on Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and his Number One (Rebecca Romijn). Of course, young Spock is there too, played by Ethan Peck. Together, they’ve created a new trio of instantly likable headliners.

SNW returns to the “one and done” story format of classic Trek , but gives it all a modern sheen. The color scheme and ship designs may be retro, but it’s never done in a dismissive, kitschy way. In many ways, SNW reminds us why the original format of the show, about a crew of diverse people engaged in pure exploration and diplomacy, is still the best way to go. The characters are great, the actors are great, the writing is great. So we only expect SNW to climb further up this chart as more seasons roll in, assuming they don’t drop the ball.

4. Star Trek: Voyager (1995-2001)

Let’s get this out of the way: Kate Mulgrew as Captain Janeway was a great Captain , and the rest of the cast was terrific as well. But this series never fully lived up to its premise. It was supposedly about a Federation starship lost in space, years from home. A ship with a crew made up of former enemies, now forced to work together. But you’d almost never know it watching the show, which often felt like a series desperately trying to capture the glory of the TNG years.

Many episodes of Voyager, especially in the first few seasons, felt very familiar to those that had aired just a couple of years earlier on The Next Generation . However, enough episodes scattered throughout are indeed quite terrific, but there really should be more of those for a series that lasted seven seasons. We’re glad the legacy of Voyager lives on with Seven of Nine on Picard, and with Janeway as a principal character on Prodigy.

3. Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994)

This show had everything going against it when it premiered in 1987 . How does one follow up on something as iconic as the original Star Trek ? And with all new characters and a new starship Enterprise ? Well, after a very wobbly first two seasons, the show found its footing in season three. It then became a true standout sci-fi series with dozens of classic episodes . Seasons three through seven are, in many ways, as good as this franchise gets.

Patrick Stewart is arguably the best actor ever to sit in the Captain’s chair, and the characters of Picard, Data, Worf, and the rest have all become pop culture icons. It also has one of the best series finales of any show ever. TNG represented Star Trek at its peak mainstream popularity, and no show before or since has matched its ratings power. The only reason this doesn’t rank slightly higher is that the first two seasons really are kind of a mess, and lower the value ever so slightly.

2. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999)

Much like TNG before it, Deep Space Nine took about two seasons to find its footing. This despite always showcasing a stellar cast, headlined by Avery Brooks, playing the first African-American lead in a Star Trek show. But man oh man, despite the rough start, when it finally did click, it became one of the most ambitious science-fiction series ever produced for television. It did serialized, complex genre storytelling a good decade before that became the norm.

DS9 dealt with themes of religion and war and politics among the usual Star Trek tropes. Not one character was the same at the end of this series as they were at the start of it. The same can’t be said for most other shows on this list, even the best ones. It also expanded and deepened our understanding of the many different species introduced in previous Trek shows. Plus it gave us the franchise’s best villains in Gul Dukat, and later, the Dominion. This is one Trek series that broke the mold.

1. Star Trek: The Original Series (1966-1969)

Without Gene Roddenberry’s original series, there simply is no Star Trek franchise, period. It created the template that eight of the series that followed it picked up on. The original series was ground zero for modern nerd fandom, and it made pop culture icons of William Shatner’s Captain Kirk and Leonard Nimoy’s Mr. Spock. But beyond all that enduring cultural legacy, the character dynamic of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy remains one of the greatest ever seen in popular entertainment.

Looking back, we can see that Star Trek’s first season was nearly flawless, with almost thirty amazing episodes written by legends of the science-fiction genre. Season two is great as well, and season three is…well, it is less so. Regardless of that wonky last season though, the iconic nature of Star Trek: The Original Series , which spawned six feature films and a 21st century reboot of the characters, still wins hands down. Forget the dated music, visual effects, and occasionally cheesy acting. When it was at its best, you just couldn’t beat the original series.

Featured Image: CBS

Originally published in 2019.

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Player species

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In Star Trek Online , there are many playable species (also referred to as races). Each of them has a different bonus determined by its species-specific innate trait as well as the species-specific pool of selectable Personal traits .

A species' appearances are customizable to varying degrees at character creation and via the in-game tailor .

Faction differences [ | ]

Below are the current playable species in the game listed by playable faction .

Starfleet [ ]

Tos starfleet [ ], dsc starfleet [ ], klingon defense force [ ], romulan republic [ ], dominion [ ], notes [ | ].

• On April 1st, 2016, the Horta were announced as an unlockable Player species as part of that year's April Fools' Day prank, but were and are not actually available to players.
• 2 Lobi Crystal Consortium
• 3 List of canon starships

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Star trek online best race - what to choose.

Star Trek Online has 45 species that can be chosen by players, but which is the best in the game? We’ll be going over the top 5 in our article here! Like most things in the game, the best races are not absolutely critical in order to complete content, and it is perfectly viable to play anything you want because you like the species! So let’s boldly go and start with Number 5!

5.  Human (Best for Tanking)

A classic but pretty handy to have around!

At Number 5 we have the Humans! Eternally the general, average, generic species in pretty much every game, humans in Star Trek Online have a very straight-forward but useful ability. In Space Combat, they give you a 30% bonus to subsystem repair and hull regeneration rate, and in Ground Combat, they give a 5% team exploit damage bonus.

What makes them useful is their subsystem repair and hull regeneration bonuses, since those are fairly difficult to stack without using expensive traits or skills. By combining it with some of the cheaper options out there (like using human bridge officers who also have the trait), you can get a reasonably high hull regeneration bonus.

Subsystem repair is also very handy in PVP or against enemies who use a lot of disables, since it reduces the time for those subsystems to come back online. The ground bonus, however, is pretty much worthless, making humans pretty average at

That said, they make excellent tank captains, and when combined with engineers, they can endure tremendous amounts of punishment in space combat.

Humans are a race originating from the planet Earth in the Sol System. They were one of the founding races thatcreated the United Federation of Planets, along with Vulcans, Andorians and Tellarites. In Star Trek Online they are a playable race belonging to the Federation faction.

In Space: Increases Subsystem Repair and Hull Regen Rate in Space (30% in combat, 60% out of combat)

On Ground: Increases team exploit damage on Ground

• Very powerful hull regeneration bonus for Space Combat that makes them a natural pick for tanking roles. 
• Subsystem repair makes them very resilient to disable attacks which is good both for PVP and general content. 
• Can take full advantage of Human bridge officers who also come with the trait to get up to 100% bonus hull regeneration and subsystem repair!
• You like playing as a Human being in other games!
• You enjoy a tanking-centered role (though this is still useful even for DPS ships, so don’t feel limited).
• You want to be able to PVP and PVE equally well. 

4. Liberated Borg Human (Best for Support)

Note: does not come with your own drone army.

Liberated Borg were an option that was frequently requested in the early days of Star Trek Online, and when it was finally given, it proved to be quite powerful in that time period. While its power has diminished due to the presence of other competing traits and abilities, it’s still very good for people who have access to it. 

The Liberated Borg comes with a Space Combat bonus of +30 to Warp Core Efficiency, meaning that you get additional power levels naturally by simply having this as your captain. The old days had power being extremely difficult to come by, whereas in the modern age, power levels are easier to max out. It’s still something you want to do, and given that maxing it out can be costly in game currency, this can be a useful option to bridgethe gap. 

Unfortunately, you can’t quite recreate Seven of Nine in the sense of having a mostly normal-looking character. If you’re a fan of the implants and the pasty skin, this is your pick!

Liberated Borg (also known as xBs) are former Borg drones who have been freed from the Collective. Their original race, prior to assimilation, may have varied by species but they are unified through the experience of being absorbed into the Borg, complete with mental and physical scars from the trauma.

In Space : +30 Starship Warp Core Efficiency

On Ground: +10% Health Regeneration/+6% Shield Regeneration

• An excellent pick for any captain who wants that added power bonus, but especially good for Science captains who need the juice for their abilities. 
• Tanky in Ground Combat with a large degree of innate durability. 
• Customization options combine well with any of the unlocked costumes. 
• You loved Seven of Nine as a character and want to follow in her footsteps!
• Enjoy playing a more support oriented role or a “caster” class via the Science captain career. 
• Want a tanky set of traits for Ground Combat - Resistance is Futile.

3. Jem’Hadar Vanguard (Best for DPS)

Victory is dependent upon skill of the player!

The mighty Jem’Hadar Vanguard is an upgrade over the basic Jem’Hadar that Dominion players can access thanks to the Victory is Life! Expansion. With the upgraded version, you get a solid bonus to weapons damage, critical hit chance, and critical hit severity, while ground traits remain the same.

Having this on a captain means that right out of the gate, you’re doing more damage than the average player!

Jem’Hadar Vanguard details:

The Jem'Hadar Vanguard are a version of Jem'Hadar specially bred on the orders of Odo. They are a premium race requiring purchase in the Zen Store for 600Zen small icon.png or as part of the Gamma Vanguard Starter Pack or Gamma Vanguard Pack. Like normal Jem'Hadar, Jem'Hadar Vanguard characters start at level 60.

Ground: Bonus Damage for Ranged Weapons and Melee attacks, Critical Chance and Critical Severity.

Space: Bonus Damage, Critical Chance and Critical Severity.

Shroud: Allows you to briefly cloak and increase the damage of your next attack. The stealth and damage bonus expire when you attack, or when the duration time runs out.

• Among the best DPS species in the game, with identical bonuses in space and on ground. 
• Has the Shroud ability, letting you naturally cloak without having to use a kit module when on ground. 
• DPS bonus is the best bonus to have, as it bypasses diminishing returns.
• You enjoyed the Dominion in DS9 and liked Odo as a character!
• You want to play a DPS captain that has solid skills on both ground and in space. 
• Like the idea of having a character with a built in cloaking device in ground combat.

2. Joined Trill (Best For Support/DPS)

Alas, no inner voice of wisdom to guide you on your path.

Trill joined together conjure up images of Jazdia and Ezri Dax—beings with symbionts and the science to back it up.The Joined Trill in Star Trek Online certainly brings it to the forefront, with fantastic bonuses both in space and on the ground!

They get a series of major bonuses for the following: energy weapon training; projectile weapon training; shield restoration; hull restoration; damage control; exotic particle generator; control expertise; and drain expertise. As you can see, it’s a huge spread with a focus on the more science-oriented abilities.

They also get a bonus in ground combat! Health regeneration, radiation damage resistance, and toxic damage resistance are all increased, which is useful against certain types of ground enemies.

This makes them actually better, overall, than the Liberated Borg species, as their bonus skill points are spread across a large number of always-useful abilities. Trill are fantastic Science captains, easily able to use the full spectrum of bonuses to maximize their support or DPS.

Joined Trill are symbiotic lifeforms and are native to their home world Trill. Trill is a playable race in Star Trek Online for the Federation and Klingon Empire once unlocked in the Zen Store. The Trill 'host' is very similar to a Human except for their spots, which are mostly seen on the sides of their heads. These spots run from their heads down their shoulders and carry on down their torso and legs to their feet.

On Ground: Hyper Metabolism. Bonus Regeneration, Bonus Radiation and Toxic Damage Resist.

            +10% Health regeneration

            +24.6% Radiation damage resistance

            +24.6% Toxic damage resistance

In Space: Joined Symbiote. Bonus Skill points.

            +3 Energy Weapon Training

            +3 Projectile Weapon Training

            +3 Shield Restoration

            +3 Hull Restoration

            +3 Hull Regeneration

            +7 Exotic Particle Generator

            +9 Control Expertise

            +9 Drain Expertise

• High spread of skill bonuses that are useful for any career choice. 
• Excellent bonus to science powers, making this a great choice for people looking to go into Space Magic builds!
• Ground Combat bonuses are useful with the high regeneration trait letting them act as an off-tank.
• You loved the characters of Jazdia and Ezri Dax.
• You want a character that has a solid spread of utility options.
• You want to be able to use a Joined Trill as a KDF or Federation player.

1. Romulan Republic Alien (Best For Everything)

For when you want MAXIMUM creative options!

Aliens in Star Trek Online take a unique position. Unlike everyone else, they do not have a fixed set of traits and instead are able to select from a broad list of traits that are generally available to most factions. However, depending on the faction you create your alien with, the trait list is different.

So why the Romulans? Because the Romulans give you access to Romulan Operatives, which gives you increased critical strike chance and severity, and reduces the time required for recloaking.

What makes this so good? Well, besides bonus damage, critical strike chance is the most important DPS stacking stat in the entire game. Romulan Operatives, specifically the bridge officer variant, have long been used to increase this stat past the necessary 50% mark in order to reach the higher end of DPS metrics.

Starting with a Romulan Alien captain that has this built, it gets you going on that race earlier than you normally would, which is very handy. The extra slot option also lets you switch up how you build your character, so you can adapt them to tank, DPS, or heal.

All in all, it’s the best species in Star Trek Online by a large margin.

The term Alien is used in Star Trek Online to globally define the customizable species for Starfleet, DSC Starfleet, the KDF and the Romulan Republic. These species are playable, but due to how involved the character creator is it is unlikely two people will create identical aliens unless they share their settings. Some players may be familiar with calling them Klingon Aliengens or Unknowns due to these being their previously used names during the game's beta stages.

+2 Additional Personal Trait Slots (1 for ground, 1 for space)

• Aliens are both the most versatile species in the game and the most powerful, thanks to the bonuses they get under the Romulan faction. 
• They can select extremely powerful traits to maximize DPS that other species (outside of Romulans themselves) are unable to access.
• Aliens can switch out their traits at any point, letting you swiftly rebuild your character to suit literally any task in the game!
• You want to have access to a huge variety of options in the character creator!
• You enjoy creating new builds and want something with added flexibility. 
• You like having access off the bat to the Romulan Warbirds, a powerful ship type with built-in cloaks (see my top 15 STO ships article!)
• You like one of the other races but want access to the best traits you can get. The character creator lets you get almost exactly the same visual results as any species in the game, with a handful of exceptions. This means you can make a “human” that has all of the Alien’s traits!

See you on the other side, Captains!

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This list of best entry points for newcomers to Star Trek could prove to be more than confusing

S tar Trek is a massive franchise at this point, extending fifty-eight years and including 930 episodes and forty-eight seasons of television and thirteen movies (which will increase to fourteen when Section 31 debuts). So to tell a newcomer to Trek where to begin is fairly difficult. Many people would say start with The Original Series and work your way through, but Whatculture has a different take and has provided a combination list of episodes and movies to watch for anyone new to Trek.

While I agree with several of the titles included on Sean Ferrick's list, there are those that are a bit baffling—Star Trek 2009 being one of them. This movie is set in a different timeline and presents a different view of both up and coming Captain Kirk [Chris Pine] and Mr. Spock [Zachary Quinto]. Also included in the list is The Original Series ' "Balance of Terror," which would introduce new viewers to the original Captain Kirk [William Shatner] and Mr. Spock {Leonard Nimoy] set in the original timeline. woudln't it be confusing for newcomers to watch two different versions of the same characters? Even tried and true Trek fans had an issue with the roles being recast.

Also included in this list is Star Trek: The Next Generation's "Yesterday's Enterprise." Again, an excellent piece of television, but there we have Lt. Tasha Yar who was dead, but, in this episode, she's back from the dead. New viewers to Star Trek wouldn't know anything about parallel universes or alternate timelines. So wouldn't it be difficult for them to know what's happening, what's supposed to be happening, and who those people are?

Again, I know it's difficult to prepare a list or an introductory course for those just beginning to watch Star Trek, but without the basics of Starfleet and the Federation, it wouldn't be easy for a viewer to understand what's happening and why. I can't imagine having started watching Trek in any way other than from the beginning. But now, it would be possible for someone to start with Star Trek: Enterprise before going to Star Trek: The Original Series then Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and then they are on their way to knowing enough about the ins and outs of Starfleet and the Federation to really get what Star Trek is about. And I say this as someone who was asked about the best way to start Star Trek not too long ago. So far, the new viewer hasn't been disappointed. Okay, well, maybe with "The Way to Eden," but that's understandable.

This article was originally published on redshirtsalwaysdie.com as This list of best entry points for newcomers to Star Trek could prove to be more than confusing .

Den of Geek

The Best Star Trek Books Ever Written

Star Trek goes boldly beyond the moving image with these great novels.

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Star Trek has always been about boldly going, so it’s no surprise the franchise quickly moved beyond television sets. Even before the series jumped to the big screen, Star Trek expanded into the world of paperbacks, first with novelizations of Original Series and Animated Series episodes and then with original stories created for the page.

Starting with 1970’s Spock Must Die! by James Blish, the novels gave fans a chance to check in on the continuing missions of their favorite crews and characters. As of this writing, over 850 novels have made it to print, encompassing not only every series except Lower Decks but also spin-off series about totally new characters, such as Captain Calhoun of the USS Excalibur .

With so many options, the world of Trek books can get overwhelming. But these entries are a great place to start. Here are the best Star Trek novels ever written.

My Enemy, My Ally by Diane Duane (1984)

Ever since their first appearance in the TOS episode “Balance of Terror,” the Romulans have been among the best enemy aliens in the series, and no one has done more to flesh out this species than author Diane Duane, who penned the five-book Rihannsu series of novels that begins with My Enemy, My Ally .

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My Enemy, My Ally follows Romulan Commander-General Ael t’Rllallieu on her daring mission to convince Kirk to help her attack a secret medical facility that is performing tests on Vulcans. Duane establishes the Romulans’ duplicitous culture, while also featuring Kirk at his strategic best.

How Much for Just the Planet? by John M. Ford (1987)

Not everyone loves it when Trek gets silly, but for those who like the lighter side of boldly going, there are books like How Much for Just the Planet? by John M. Ford. The book deals with some heavy concepts, with the Klingons and Starfleet coming to odds over Direidi, a planet rich in dilithium. Restricted from open warfare because of the limitations that the powerful Organians set in the episode “Errand of Mercy,” the two enemies must compete the Direidian way.

And that way is very silly. How Much for Just the Planet? plays like a musical comedy, forcing Kirk and Klingon Captain Kaden to go along with big theatrical numbers. The Klingon lore used by the book has been heavily-retconned in the years since, which might distract readers. But anyone who’s into singing competitions instead of phaser battles or intellectual debates won’t take this stuff too seriously anyway.

Vendetta by Peter David (1991)

Vendetta is the first book on this list written by Peter David, the comic book legend who also authored some of the best Trek books of all time. Vendetta feels like the Next Generation movie we never got, one that ties the Borg to the classic TOS episode “The Doomsday Machine,” while also fleshing out Guinan’s race, the El-Aurian.

When a spectral figure who first haunted Picard while at Starfleet Academy returns, the Enterprise discovers a planet-killing ship designed to take revenge against the Borg. Vendetta manages to tighten up Trek lore, including more information about the El-Aurian’s history with the Borg and the mystery of the ship in “The Doomsday Machine,” while managing a thrilling, character-driven tale.

Imzadi by Peter David (1992)

The romance between Commander Riker and Counselor Troi was a constant on TNG since the pilot episode. However, that relationship often fell by the wayside as writers had no idea about what to do with Troi, and wanted Riker to be the ladies’ man that many saw in Kirk. Leave it to Peter David to help flesh out that relationship with Imzadi , which goes back to the couple’s early days together.

David takes inspiration from one of the greatest Trek episodes of all time, “City on the Edge of Forever,” to send Riker across time to save a dying Troi. Along the way, readers see how Riker and Troi first fell passionately in love with one another on Betazed, establishing a love that not even disinterested writers could destroy.

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Sarek by A.C. Crispin (1994)

Spock’s father Sarek looms large in Trek lore, so it’s surprising that he only had one appearance in TOS and one on TAS before showing up in several of the movies. The J.J. Abrams reboot and Star Trek: Discovery further developed Sarek, but that was after author A.C. Crispin wrote the definitive Sark novel.

Set shortly after Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country , Sarek finds Spock’s dad defending the Federation from the same conspiracy that tried to continue the war against the Klingons. Crispin gives readers a glimpse into unlikely relationship between Sarek and the human Amanda Grayson, giving us a more nuanced look at the love that gave birth to Spock. Sarek even checks in on another relative in Peter Kirk, son of George and the nephew of Captain Kirk.

The Return by William Shatner with Garfield and Judith Reeves-Stevens (1996)

As these books demonstrate, Captain Kirk’s life extends far beyond Star Trek television shows or movies. Yet, William Shatner couldn’t let Kirk’s story come to an end with his death in Star Trek: Generations . And so Shatner, along with Garfield Reeves-Stevens and Judith Reeves-Stevens, brought Kirk back in a series of books, dubbed The Shatnerverse because they take place in their own continuity.

Look, there’s no denying that the Shatnerverse books are exercises in vanity, the most obvious sort of self-insert fan-fiction. But as is so often the case with Shatner, the arrogance makes for an entertaining Kirk story. The Return features Kirk not only romancing a beautiful Romulan but also teaching Picard how to really fight the Borg. It’s at once absurd and enjoyable, just like Shatner himself.

Planet X by Michael Jan Friedman (1998)

Crazy crossovers are nothing new to comic books, even Trek comics. In those pages, Federation members rode the TARDIS from Doctor Who , wore Green Lantern power rings, and crossed paths with Marvel’s Merry Mutants, the X-Men. It’s those last set of meetings that inspired Planet X by Michael Jan Friedman.

Planet X picks up the threads from two X-Men /Star Trek comic books published by Marvel, the first of which involved the TOS crew and the TNG crew in the second. In Planet X , alternate reality shenanigans involving the Shi’ar bring the X-Men back onto the Enterprise -D, which gives Friedman a reason for some goofy fan moments. Worf and Wolverine rack up kills on a holodeck training program, while Storm and Picard have a pseudo romance (in which the former notes a striking similarity between the Captain and Professor X).

A Stitch in Time by Andrew J. Robinson (2000)

Deep Space Nine was packed with outstanding characters, none more so than the Cardassian Garak. Garak may have said he was just a tailor, plain and simple, but he carried secrets that made him far more dangerous. A Stitch in Time uncovers a lot (but not all!) of those secrets, and it comes from none other than Garak’s actor, Andrew J. Robinson.

Set shortly after the end of the Dominion War, A Stitch in Time operates as an epistolatory novel, consisting of letters sent from Garak to Dr. Bashir. Through the letters, Garak explains his childhood entry into Cardassia’s intelligence wing, the Obsidian Order, as well as his role in the resistance against the Founders’ occupation of his planet. Some readers might be shocked by Garak’s revelations, but as he taught Bashir, everything in his story is true, especially the lies.

The Eugenics Wars: The Rise and Fall of Khan Noonien Singh by Greg Cox (2001)

It’s easy to see why Nicholas Meyer keyed into “Space Seed” when doing research for Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan . Portrayed by Ricardo Montalbán, Khan Noonien Singh presents the greatest challenge for Kirk. Beyond his great strength, Khan also has charm and brilliance, which explains the franchise’s insistence on bringing him back, again and again.

The Eugenics Wars series by Greg Cox provides the best look at Khan’s history, explaining how he rose to power and how his actions led to the worst war since World War III. Cox makes the surprising choice to tell the story from the perspective of agent Gary Seven and his partner Roberta Lincoln. Seven, Trekkies remember, was a time-traveler who encountered Kirk in the season two finale “Assignment: Earth,” which Gene Roddenberry hoped to spin off into a new series. To Cox’s credit, Seven’s inclusion doesn’t distract from Khan’s story, allowing the future conqueror shine.

Star Trek: Voyager Homecoming by Christie Golden (2003)

Star Trek: Voyager has overcome the initial resistance from fans in the ’90s and become a beloved series. Part of that change in opinion came from Voyager ‘s finale, the excellent “Endgame.” With Homecoming , author Christie Golden takes “Endgame” one step further, showing the difficulties that the Voyager crew faces upon their return. Janeway might receive a hero’s welcome, but she comes with people that Starfleet looks upon with suspicion, especially the one-time Borg Seven of Nine and Maquis rebels such as Chakotay.

With Homecoming , Golden answers a lot of questions that still linger, even after Picard and Prodigy caught up with some of the characters. We see the way the Dominion War affected Starfleet’s concern for the missing Voyager as well as the desperation that forced them to accept Seven and the Maquis, albeit not without suspicion.

Titan: Taking Wing by Michael A. Martin and Andy Mangels (2005)

Before Picard or Lower Decks , the only place that Trekkies could find Riker at the helm of his own Starfleet ship, the Titan , was in print, namely a series of novels about Riker and his wife Troi coming into their own after their adventures with the Next Generation crew.

Taking Wing takes place after Star Trek: Nemesis , with the Romulan Star Empire still reeling from Shinzon’s attack. The Romulan Civil War offers a strategic advantage to Starfleet, but only if Riker can manage the difficult negotiations. Authors Michael A. Martin and Andy Mangels give Riker a diverse crew, which helps him distinguish his command style from that of Picard, while bringing back some old favorites, including Tuvok from Voyager .

Joe George | @jageorgeii

Joe George’s writing has appeared at Slate, Polygon, Tor.com, and elsewhere!

Elon Musk’s Call to Make Starfleet Academy Real Roasted by Star Trek Actor

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Elon Musk faces criticism from Star Trek: Voyager star Robert Picardo after the SpaceX and Tesla CEO and owner of X (formerly Twitter) took to social media to suggest, “Let’s make Starfleet Academy real!” While Musk certainly seems enthusiastic about the prospect of bringing the world of Star Trek closer to reality, Picardo, who starred as The Doctor in Voyager, had some issues with Musk potentially being the one at the helm...

“First step : Support a leader that embodies Starfleet values like diversity, inclusion and ethical behavior.”

Clearly, Picardo does not believe that Musk has the right stuff to bring the vision and ideals of Star Trek into the real world, with the controversial entrepreneur and investor’s beliefs , opinions, and political ideals being far from what Gene Roddenberry had in mind.

Diversity and inclusion have been staples of the Star Trek franchise since the very beginning. The original series featured not only one of the first examples of a Black woman in a lead role on TV in Nichelle Nichols’ Uhura, but also broke another cultural taboo at the time when she shared a kiss with William Shatner’s Captain Kirk in the episode "Plato's Stepchildren." Something which is now cited as the first example of an interracial kiss on network television.

Star Trek: Voyager

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Picardo’s opinion of Musk and his desire to make Starfleet Academy a reality is backed up by Gene Roddenberry himself. While Musk has spent his time recently pushing conspiracy theories, sharing far-right accounts on X, and attacking the LGBTQ+ community (to the extent that his own daughter has disowned him), the Star Trek creator envisioned a world where humanity does not just tolerate, but celebrates differences. Roddenberry said of the series back in 1976...

“Star Trek was an attempt to say 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 lifeforms. If we cannot learn to actually enjoy those small differences, to take a positive delight in those small differences between our own kind, here on this planet, than we do not deserve to go out into space and meet the diversity that is almost certainly out there.”

The Exchange Has Sparked Debate Among Star Trek Fans

The exchange between Elon Musk and Robert Picardo, the latter of whom starred as The Doctor in Star Trek: Voyager from 1995 to 2001 and has since featured in the likes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Star Trek: Prodigy , has sparked debate online between those who agree with the Star Trek actor...and those who don’t. “Doctor, I think we might need the dermal regenerator for that burn,” said one Trek fan, with another adding, “Voyager doesn't have a dermal regenerator strong enough to heal that burn!”

Battlestar Galactica Star Says Real Life Will Turn Into the Show 'If Musk Has His Way'

It's been 20 years since the great reboot series debuted, and its lead actor worries what the world will look like in another 20 years.

Those who disagree feel that Picardo, not Musk, is the one who has misunderstood the world of Star Trek . “Star Fleet didn't promote people based on race gender or sexuallity. It looked beyond all that and focused on the capability and character of the officer. Maybe you should watch the shows again,” said one user on X. Others have responded to refute these claims, with another user replying, “They also made damn sure that no one was ever held back by a single one of those things you mentioned, ever! Maybe YOU should watch the shows again.”

You can check out more fan reactions below.

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‘star trek’ screenwriter roberto orci accused of beating, sexually assaulting wife in lawsuit.

The countersuit was filed by actress Adele Heather Taylor after Orci sued his wife in June over accusations of abuse.

By Carly Thomas

Carly Thomas

Associate Editor

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Roberto Orci , a screenwriter for several Star Trek and Transformers films as well as Hawaii Five-0 , has been accused of beating and sexually assaulting his wife, actress Adele Heather Taylor.

In a countersuit filed Monday, Taylor claims she has been the “target of [Orci’s] violent conduct” on multiple occasions dating back to March 2018. She accuses Orci of “abusive behavior” that included sexual assault, beating her until she was bruised and belittling her with insults.

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Taylor also says in the complaint that she was arrested for domestic abuse in April 2020 after Orci called law enforcement when she tried to fight him off after he attacked her. Orci later bailed her out and admitted on tape that the arrest was “intended to destroy Adele’s credibility and dissuade her from reporting his ongoing abuse to the authorities,” the lawsuit states.

In December 2022, Taylor left Orci after she was again assaulted, according to the complaint. During the incident, she recorded some of Orci’s threats while he allegedly tried to shove her out of their house’s front door. “I want you out right now or I’ll throw you out the fucking door,” he said in the recording, according to the suit. “I’ll beat the shit out of you right now just to make you compliant enough to get you thrown out the front door.”

Following that last incident, Orci filed a restraining order against Taylor “before she had ample opportunity to seek protection from the court,” the complaint stated.

Orci’s attorney, Daniel Paluch, disputed the allegations in an email to THR : “My client denies the allegations and is looking forward to litigating the case in the appropriate forum, which is the court.”

Taylor states in her suit that she wants to hold Orci accountable for his years of abuse and for breaching his “contractual obligation to split his assets with her and support her financially for the rest of her life.”

In Orci’s complaint, he acknowledged his struggles with alcohol and addiction, stating he had undergone treatment and rehab on multiple occasions.

Taylor’s attorney didn’t offer any additional statements following a request from THR .

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How Star Trek: Discovery Recaptured One Aspect Of The Original Series

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Star Trek Discovery: 9 Best Episodes (So Far)

A new star trek movie could take a familiar approach to the next generation, the lord of the rings: the rings of power season 2 premiere review.

When the original Star Trek first hit screens back in 1966, the concept was pitched to audiences as "a wagon train to the stars." The Enterprise and its crew were soaring off into an unknown, unexplored universe, not unlike the explorers of the old Wild West. There were no rules out here in the vast expanse of space, and even Starfleet protocol was still in its infancy. Kirk, Spock, and the rest often had to improvise to get out of dangerous situations with their lives.

But as the franchise grew, so did the in-universe institutions of Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets . Treaties were signed, conflicts broke out, negotiations ensued, terms were settled — and the cycle began again. Starfleet's mission of exploration became more strictly defined, and so too did its rules and regulations. There were fewer unknowns in the galaxy, and by the time of The Next Generation , it was no longer a chaotic place. Starfleet still faced conflict in Deep Space 9 and explored uncharted territory in Voyager , but now, in addition to mysteries and alien threats, there was often bureaucratic red tape and political intrigue to deal with. Through it all, Starfleet and its members were disciplined, confident, and ready to spread a brighter future throughout the galaxy.

These episodes of Star Trek: Discovery are (so far) some of the highlights of the show.

That changed, though, when Michael Burnham and her crew traveled 900 years into the future in the season 2 finale of Star Trek: Discovery . With the time jump at the start of Season 3, Discovery took Star Trek back into a lawless, chaotic galaxy.

The Early Federation: Two Different Sides

For the crew of The Original Series , meeting unknowns face-to-face often meant danger. Hostile aliens didn't always listen to reason, especially since the Federation wasn't quite an interstellar superpower yet. The crew of the Enterprise always had to be prepared to fire phasers set to stun, throw a quick punch to the jaw, or break out the tried-and-true Vulcan nerve pinch.

Michael Burnham and the crew of Discovery also came from the days of the Federation's infancy. But unlike the Enterprise, they weren't charting unknown space. In Season 1, they worked as part of the war effort, helping the Federation fight the Klingons and developing technology to do so. In Season 2, they tracked the seven red signals and tried to thwart the AI called Control.

Of course, there were still plenty of mysteries to uncover and things to learn — the mechanics of time travel , the mysteries of the mycelial network. But Discovery's early themes had less to do with exploring the final frontier. Through their sci-fi concepts, seasons 1 and 2 explored ideas like the ethics of war and the consequences of technological advancement. Other Star Trek shows had done the same before them.

There are plenty of legitimate real-world reasons why the show's creators may have decided on the time jump that Discovery took at the end of its second season. Perhaps the show's retcons were starting to make things complicated . Perhaps they didn't want to eventually overlap with the timeline of The Original Series . Maybe they simply recognized the need and the opportunity to shake things up, to take both the crew and the audience out of their comfort zones. Regardless, it was a bold decision, and one that reintroduced the idea of diving headfirst into the unknown.

How The Burn Reintroduced A Lawless Galaxy

When she lands in the 31st century, Michael Burnham quickly learns that this galaxy is vastly different from the one she left behind. Starfleet is a distant memory, the Federation is a shadow of its former self, and a criminal organization called the Emerald Chain has a chokehold on the majority of resources. All of this is the result of an event known as the Burn , which took place about a century before Discovery's arrival. All the dilithium in the galaxy went inert, and thousands of ships detonated. The result was mass death, and without dilithium, the inability to travel at warp.

After the Burn, interplanetary alliances crumbled, and planets left the United Federation one after another until it was barely a skeleton of what it once was. Its influence weakened, until it was no longer able to maintain law, order, and peace as it once had. With the Federation almost gone, the people of the galaxy were left to fend for themselves. Mercenary groups, smugglers, and independent contractors carved lives for themselves in space. The galaxy was, as it had been in Kirk and Spock's day, a wild frontier.

A World Full Of Unknowns

Michael, Saru, and their crew had to navigate a galaxy which they knew nothing about. The planets, alien species, and even a few of the factions might have familiar names, but they were vastly different from what the Discovery crew remembered. The planet Vulcan had become Ni'Var ; the warring Vulcans and Romulans were cultivating peace between their two societies. The Klingons, whom the Discovery crew remembered as the Federation's greatest enemy, had become their allies and then receded to being strangers again. Many people throughout the galaxy had more or less forgotten the Federation — or even spurned it, holding them partially responsible for the Burn.

Discovery's job, then, was to gather information, build bridges, and forge alliances in their search to solve the mystery of the Burn and restore the Federation to its former glory. Michael, like her brother Spock , had to know when to speak and when to spring into action. Saru, a formerly cautious man who was new to taking risks, had to learn to do so in a measured and calculated way. Tilly learned to take charge; Stamets learned to reach out for help and expertise. Like Kirk and his crewmates, they were thrust into unfamiliar situations time and again. Ultimately, just like in The Original Series, these trials not only brought out the best in the show's characters, but provided an adventure for viewers that was familiar, yet wonderfully refreshing.

Star Trek: Discovery

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Every major star trek villain species, ranked.

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Star Trek's New Warp Drive Breaks the Prime Directive in a Way No-One Expected

Captain janeway’s top 7 star trek: voyager enemies, ranked, "i finally found you": star trek's beverly & wesley crusher reunion is a tragic twist for wil wheaton's character.

Star Trek has featured a plethora of intriguing villain species over its seven-decade run, as well as a few that haven't quite worked. As humans sought out new life and new civilizations in Star Trek 's future, they were bound to run into some that weren't exactly friendly. The antagonistic species the crew of the USS Enterprise and other Starfleet vessels encountered were often reflections of humanity's own past failings, with fascist regimes and violent dictatorships in full swing across the galaxy.

Not every Star Trek story features a cut-and-dry alien villain; sometimes Starfleet officers face aliens with whom they simply have a misunderstanding in good faith, like Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and an unintelligible Tamarian captain in the classic Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Darmok," or the misunderstood creature called the Horta encountered by Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "The Devil In The Dark." That said, most of Star Trek 's iconic antagonists are alien species with clear hostility toward the idealism Starfleet and the Federation stand for. Here's a ranking of every major Star Trek villain species.

Related: Every First Officer In Star Trek Canon Ranked

10 The Kazon

The Kazon were supposed to be Star Trek: Voyager 's ultimate bad guys, but it didn't quite work out that way. A warrior race bent on conquest, they generally came across as cheap knockoffs of the Klingons. Even the Borg didn't want to assimilate them. The Kazon would unsuccessfully menace Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and the crew of the USS Voyager for the show's first two seasons before being phased out of the show in the season 3 premiere "Basics, Part II." Star Trek: Prodigy has somewhat reimagined the Kazon as slave traders, but they remain one of Star Trek 's most underwhelming antagonists.

9 The Ferengi

The Ferengi were conceived by Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry to be TNG 's primary antagonists, but their initial appearance in the season 1 episode "The Last Outpost" scuttled that plan. TNG would eventually find their true villains in Q (John de Lancie) and the Borg, with the Ferengi only appearing sparingly over the rest of the series, often as comic relief. The Ferengi were eventually salvaged when Star Trek: Deep Space Nine refocused them as ultra-capitalists, largely through the duplicitous station bartender Quark (Armin Shimerman) . Still, even if you owe them Latinum, most Star Trek species aren't particularly intimidated by the Ferengi.

8 The Breen

The Breen began as something of a running joke on TNG , often referenced but never actually seen. No one was laughing when they eventually made their debut on DS9 . A brutally violent species that wear fully enclosed atmosphere suits to acclimate to warmer climates, the Breen Confederacy became a major galactic player in the final days of the Dominion War, aligning themselves with the Changelings to take on the Federation, even managing to destroy Captain Benjamin Sisko's (Avery Brooks) ship the USS Defiant. The fearsome Breen returned in the Star Trek: Lower Decks season 3 episode "Trusted Sources," having overrun the planet Brekka. The Breen remain a mysterious, potent threat to Starfleet.

The Gorn are a lizard-like species that debuted in the TOS episode "Arena," where Captain Kirk was forced into a fight to the death with one of the monstrous creatures. One of the few purely malevolent species in Star Trek , the Gorn have been referenced often over the years but only made their return recently in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . The family of the Enterprise's security chief Lieutenant La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) was murdered by Gorn when she was a child, and she was forced to relive her trauma when the Enterprise crew had to face a group of homicidal Gorn hatchlings.

Related: Strange New Worlds Retcons Star Trek: TOS' Gorn Timeline

6 The Jem'Hadar

The Jem'Hadar were a genetically-engineered warrior species that served as the Dominion's primary military force during the Dominion War. Physically powerful and with little regard for their own lives, they were bred to be the ultimate killing machines. They were addicted to the drug ketracel-white, and their dependence on the drug provided by the Dominion kept them in line. While unintended by their Dominion masters, the Jem'Hadar developed a somewhat twisted sense of honor; they weren't true believers in the Dominion cause, they simply had no other choice but to obey. In many ways, the Jem'Hadar were as much victims of the Dominion War as anyone else.

5 The Romulans

One of Star Trek 's oldest enemy aliens, the Romulans debuted all the way back in the TOS season 1 classic episode "Balance Of Terror." Since that initial stunner of an episode, the insidious Romulan Star Empire remained a constant threat to the Federation. They maintained something of a cold war with the Federation during the TNG era until their home planet, Romulus, was destroyed by a supernova in the late 24th century. After the destruction of Romulus, the Romulan Empire was severely weakened, but they were still powerful enough to send a 200-ship-strong armada to attack a planet of synthetics in the Star Trek: Picard season 1 finale.

4 The Changelings

The Changelings, also known as the Founders, were the primary species behind the Dominion. The rulers of the Gamma Quadrant naturally reverted to a gelatinous goo form, and generally congregated together in a massive sea known as the Great Link. Condescending and arrogant, the Changelings believed humanoids were inferior life forms and referred to them derisively as "solids." They sought to annihilate the Federation in the Dominion War through both direct attacks and complicated subterfuge. They were eventually defeated when Starfleet infected the Great Link with a deadly virus, which was ultimately cured when the benevolent Changeling Odo (Rene Auberjonois) rejoined the Link at the conclusion of DS9 .

3 The Klingons

Since TOS season 1, the Klingons have been portrayed as a warrior race obsessed with honor and conquest. The Klingons have looked quite different over Star Trek 's history, though the most frequent appearance has been the one made famous in TNG , featuring pronounced head ridges and leather and chain battle gear. By the era of TNG , the Klingons were somewhat uneasy allies of the Federation, though that alliance was temporarily dissolved in the lead-up to the Dominion War. Whether friend or foe, the Klingons are always a volatile, unpredictable species who yearn for battle and glory, often against the wishes of the Federation.

Related: Discovery Season 5 Must Reintroduce TNG Style Klingons

2 The Cardassians

The Cardassians were introduced in TNG , but they became an iconic villain species on Deep Space Nine . Long an enemy of the Federation, the Cardassians had declared an uneasy truce with the Federation by the time of DS9 . During their years-long conflict with the Federation, the Cardassians occupied the peaceful, non-Federation planet Bajor. The Cardassians brutalized the Bajorans, perceiving them as an inferior race suitable only for slave labor. Charismatic monsters like Gul Dukat (Marc Alaimo) saw these atrocities as the necessary cost of building an empire, indifferent to the plight of the innocent. The ultimate treatment of the Cardassians at the hands of the Dominion was a bitter irony.

A species of faceless, voiceless cybernetic zombies, the Borg are the most threatening villains in all of Star Trek . Introduced in the TNG season 2 episode "Q Who," the Borg assimilate entire planets and species into their collective with the explicit goal of making all of the universe Borg. After assimilating Captain Picard in the TNG season 3 episode "The Best Of Both Worlds," the Borg decimated Starfleet at the battle of Wolf 359 on their way to assimilate Earth. The Borg were critically wounded in the Star Trek: Voyager series finale "Endgame," but they remain the most dire threat to humanity in all of Star Trek .

More: Every Borg Queen In Star Trek

The ‘Kamalanomenon’ may not last forever. How Harris could still lose 2024 race

CHICAGO ― Dressed in a Kamala Harris campaign ball cap with a vest decorated by buttons and party paraphernalia, Kenny Agosto strutted outside the United Center in Chicago the night Gov. Tim Walz addressed the Democratic convention.

The 54-year-old Bronx, New York, native would have voted for President Joe Biden, "whether he was dead or not," he said.

But the new Democratic ticket going up against former President Donald Trump is an adrenaline rush.

"I am enthused, I'm going to work, and I got my marching orders," Agosto said. "Like this guy was saying, we're going to sleep when we're dead ."

It's still difficult for him to shake a creeping dread, however, when he thinks about past elections, such as 2016 or 2000, when his party came up short.

Sign-up for Your Vote: Text with the USA TODAY elections team.

"I cried when Trump was elected, real hard tears. And I survived the 2000 election, so I cried real tears because I knew what was coming."

After inheriting a dire campaign outlook, Harris' surge in polls has caught up with Trump in the battleground states, firing off an unprecedented sprint to the November finish.

Democrats want to keep the optimism going. But campaign veterans, including some former Harris advisors, know better: peril could still be at their door.

In the 10 weeks until Election Day, they must build a winning coalition, introduce a relatively unknown contender to the public and unveil ideas that excite the base without alienating independents fed up with Trump.

There's still lagging support among base voters compared to 2020; Trump's legal troubles could reignite his MAGA base; an unforeseen failure by the Biden administration (which she still works for); a debate gaffe; or an October surprise.

One of the first big tests will be Thursday when Harris and Walz will do their first interview with CNN.

GOP foes have already called out the Democratic nominee for not doing interviews with legacy media outlets and say this joint sit-down underscores Harris’ inability to carry her own weight.

“After refusing to do any interviews and hiding for a month, Harris still won’t sit for a 1:1 interview,” former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said in a post on X.

“She is weak and not ready for the job.”

Daria Dawson, who served as director of strategic engagement for Harris's 2020 presidential campaign, said whatever unforeseen obstacles come the VP’s way, the Democratic nominee's biggest challenge will be keeping her voters focused on Nov. 5.

"It is OK for folks to be nervous," said Dawson, who now serves as executive director of America Votes, a progressive voter turnout group. "We had a very hard lesson in 2016 and that is not to take any voter or any person for granted, and to ignore the polls."

Being Biden's No. 2 on economy, other issues

As Biden's No. 2, Harris is inextricably connected to the current administration, which had failing approval numbers through much of the 2024 contest.

Before exiting the race, Biden had a 36% job approval rating , according to Gallup, which was the lowest of his presidency.

A slipping jobs report or administration screw up could always throw her role as Biden's vice president back into the mix. And Trump and his Republican friends have tried mightily to connect Harris to her boss.

Most recently the GOP nominee has slammed her over the 2021 pullout in Afghanistan , which resulted in 13 dead soldiers. Harris described herself as being the last person in the room when Biden decided to move forward with plans, which  began under Trump , to leave the foreign country.

On the campaign trail, Trump's speeches regularly pummel the Biden administration for its handling of the economy and inflation.

Harris has outlined that she is dedicated to getting costs under control by targeting "price gouging" by grocers, for example.

Trump held an 11-point advantaged when voters were asked in July who they preferred on the economy. But a new  Reuters/Ipsos poll released this week shows Harris gaining, with 40% of voters preferring her approach compared to 43% who said the same about Trump.

Hillary Holley, executive director of Care in Action, a nonprofit advocacy group for domestic workers, said she is looking for the VP to be more aggressive with a populist economic message that differs from the current administration.

She noted how childcare costs have exceeded college tuition in dozens of states.

"Talk about plans on how to lower that cost," Holley said. "She needs to share plans on why passing a federal paid leave for all policy is going to help people be able to when they take off, to care for themselves or sick loved ones."

Gaza and third-party contenders

Criticism from the activist left was expected in the streets of Chicago, where protesters clashed with police over Israel's war in Gaza that has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gazan Health Ministry.

But that divide showed up at the convention too, when a small but voluble group of uncommitted delegates demanded a Palestinian American address the audience to acknowledge the humanitarian crisis.

Those delegates were rebuffed by the Harris campaign, which could shave off votes in swing states, such as Michigan, where there is a significant Muslim American population and earlier in the year during the Democratic primary more than 100,000 cast ballots for "uncommitted" over Biden.

Many of those voters could find refuge among third-party contenders, such as philosopher Cornel West, who is back on the Wolverine State's ballot .

Actor Kal Penn, who served as the national co-chair for former President Barack Obama's 2012 reelection campaign,, warned against Harris' response to a group Gaza protesters who interrupted her at a recent Michigan rally.

"If you want Donald trump to win, keep saying that," she said in response to their chants.

Penn said that was "a misstep" that seemed to be disparaging younger progressive voters who, "should be engaged and taken seriously."

"Those protestors don’t want Trump to win," Penn told USA TODAY ahead of the Democratic convention. "They want the vice president to do better, be held accountable for the administration’s abysmal human rights record and change policy."

What does Kamala Harris believe?

One lingering aspect of the current race is how little Americans know about Harris' overall views.

She has changed positions on key issues, such as building a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border, with little explanation. In 2019, she described it as a "medieval vanity project," but in her acceptance speech at the convention she embraced a bipartisan border deal that includes millions for its construction.

A CBS News/YouGov survey earlier this month showed more than a third of voters still don't know what the VP stands for , which gives GOP attacks room to fill in those gaps with independent voters.

The lack of an encompassing policy platform − coupled with not doing a one-on-one interview to examine those views − could backfire with the American public, especially if Harris' honeymoon poll numbers ebb.

Trump debate, MAGA anger reignited

Much of the Harris campaign has centered around the "prosecutor versus felon" narrative , and the upcoming Sept. 10 debate in Philadelphia will be the best place to showcase that casting.

Democrats are itching to get back at the GOP after Biden's abysmal debate performance, which catapulted him out of the race and threw liberals into a tailspin for weeks.

Much of this raises the expectations levels on Harris more than Trump, however.

She has been advertised by allies as someone who can eviscerate the other side, whether as a senator grilling Brett Kavanaugh when he was Supreme Court nominee or as a VP candidate reclaiming the floor with incumbent Mike Pence in 2020.

Sergio Jose Gutierrez, a former advisor to Hillary Clinton, said the hype around Harris may work against her ahead of the debate.

"She has momentum but it has nothing to do with anything she has done," Gutierrez said. "It is because she is the new kid, or in this case, the new girl on the block."

Democrats are also aware at how loyal Trump's supporters are, especially in the wake of an assassination attempt.

The former president was also hit with a  new indictment  in his election interference case Tuesday, weeks after the Supreme Court issued a new ruling on presidential immunity.

"PERSECUTION OF A POLITICAL OPPONENT," Trump declared, without evidence, in a Wednesday post on X.

On top of that, Trump's sentencing for falsifying business records  that concealed hush money paid to a porn star is  tentatively scheduled for Sept. 18 , a week after the debate.

Gutierrez said if it appears that the former president is being persecuted by the legal justice system − as it did to many Trump supporters during the GOP primary − it could inject new energy into his MAGA movement.

"Democrats are very much afraid of the fandom that Trump has created, because there is not such a thing as Kamala Harris fandom,” he said.

'She's going to win': Allies bet on extended honeymoon

Whatever reservations some political experts have coming out of the convention, many of the delegates who spoke with USA TODAY are in love with their new candidacy.

"She's going to win," Jonathan Moses, 32, of Miami, Florida, said on the convention floor.

He said more Americans are focused on restoring the values of dignity, honor and respect, and that Harris exhibits all of those.

"And I think that the difference is 100% clear," Moses added.

Liz McDonald, 77, of Stevens Point, Wisconsin, said she doesn't think Democrats are being overconfident: "It doesn't keep me up at night, but it makes me work as hard as I can to try to make sure that it doesn't happen."

Harris supporters have plenty of reasons to be excited as several yardsticks have her statistically tied with Trump in the critical battleground states that will decide the outcome, where she is making considerable gains with core Democrats. A study of the 10 highest-rated pollsters by Politico , for instance, showed since the swap, Harris is scoring gains with every demographic of base voters such as Black, Hispanic and college-educated women.

Elisabeth Anker, a professor of American Studies at George Washington University, said the anxiety is still there for Democrats, but it's now part of what fuels their enthusiasm for Harris.

"I see anxiety not as the flip side to the enthusiasm, but part of what underpins it," she said.

"It is the sense that there is a significantly higher chance now that the Democratic Party will win, that she will be the candidate, that people support her candidacy and feel that there's a viable path forward."

One element grassroots organizers and political strategist say gives them a sign to be optimistic is how the Harris campaign is investing its resources. For example, days before the convention, for example, Harris ditched Air Force Two for a bus that mazed its way through western Pennsylvania .

The campaign will make a similar two-day trek by bus through parts of rural Georgia, which has impressed activists and state legislators in the exurbs who pay attention to every margin of turnout.

Cynthia Wallace, co-founder of the New Rural Project , which focuses on rural voters of color, said a focus on rural voters could turn swing states blue if national Democrats invest in those territories.

"Harris could win North Carolina, and definitely win back some of these rural counties that have gone red primarily because Black and (Hispanic) turnout has gone gotten so low," she said.

The Cook Political Report survey  of seven key swing states released ahead of the convention, for example, showed Harris ahead of Trump 46%-44% in North Carolina. The Cook forecast moved North Carolina, where Wallace's group has knocked on tens of thousands of doors and contacted thousands of voters, from leans Republican to a toss-up state this week.

She said all involved acknowledge the razor-thin margins this contest will be decided by and that Harris will face stumbles, but that volunteers and organizers are too busy working to be troubled with anxiety.

"The feeling that I feel on the ground is the closest I've seen to 2008," Wallace said. "I know in my social media, my phone, everybody's excited."

Reporter Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy contributed to this story.