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What are the Trill in Star Trek? Explained

In many ways, it’s easy to explain the Trill of Star Trek . They are a humanoid species from the planet Trill located in the Alpha Quadrant. They look just like Humans except for the cluster of dark spots running along the sides of their heads and – though it’s often unseen for censorship purposes – along their bodies. There’s an aspect of Trill culture that’s a little more difficult to explain, though, but I’ll give it a try anyway.

What is a Trill?

The Trill are as scientifically advanced as most alien races throughout the galaxy of Star Trek . They, too, love to put things under a microscope and study them in official research capacities. It’s potentially in their pursuit of knowledge that they discovered a long, long time ago that some of them had the ability to link with a Trill symbiont.

Related : The Best Star Trek TV Shows, Ranked

They undergo surgery during which a big worm is placed in their abdomen. This process forms an immediate connection between the host and the symbiont. The two then embark on a lifelong journey of sharing memories and life experiences after they are joined. It’s not such an easy concept to explain to anyone new to fandom.

The Trill were first introduced in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and have been a have since become staple of the franchise. We even got to see the ancient underground pools where Trill went to better understand, or sometimes heal, the symbiont within them.

Notable Trill in Star Trek

However, Deep Space Nine didn’t just introduce the Trill or their cultural practices. The series gave us the most famous Trill of all: Jadzia Dax. She was the First Officer and BFF of Captain Sisko. She was also the closest that many transgender Star Trek fans had ever gotten to complex representation in a popular sci-fi series.

As much as we love (and miss) her, though, Jadzia was not the only Trill to get into space shenanigans like time travel and facing one’s own insecurities. She came from a long line of Trill who’d joined with the Dax symbiont. Some of whom we met in Deep Space Nine , like the incorrigible Curzon or the emphasis Ezri.

Then, of course, there’s Barnes in Lower Decks and Gray Tal in Discovery . Technically, there’s also Adira Tal but that complicated history is for another time. Just know that explaining the Trill of Star Trek just got a little easier. You’re welcome!

Why Star Trek's Trill Mysteriously Sprouted Spots When It Came Time For Deep Space Nine

The Trill were first introduced in the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode "The Host" (May 11, 1991). In that episode, Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) engaged in an intense love affair with a Trill super-diplomat named Odan (Franc Luz), a man whom she later discovered had a very unusual biology. It seems some members of the Trill species are joined with incredibly long-lived worm-like symbionts that are surgically implanted in their stomachs. The symbionts possess the memories and experiences of all their hosts and take over the personalities of the people they are implanted inside of. Symbionts can live through dozens of hosts in their lives.

In "The Host," Odan sported inverted v-shaped forehead ridges above his eyes and a larger, extended septum. The makeup was designed by Michael Westmore, a longtime "Next Generation" makeup artist.

It wouldn't be until "Emissary" (January 3, 1993), the pilot episode of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," that Trekkies would encounter another Trill. "DS9" featured a Trill character named Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell), who served as Deep Space Nine's science officer. In the lore of the series, Jadzia had recently been given the Dax symbiote after it spent many decades inside the body of a party-loving old man named Curzon. Jadzia had to reconnect with several old friends who knew her from her previous life.

Dax, one might immediately note, doesn't have the same forehead ridges that Odan did. It seems that the makers of "Deep Space Nine," after trying out similar ridges on Farrell, elected to do something less obtrusive. According to Paula M. Block's and Terry J. Erdmann's book "Star Trek: The Next Generation 365,"  Dax's makeup artists modeled her new "spots" after Westmore saw how good they looked on Famke Janssen in the "Next Generation" episode "The Perfect Mate" (April 27, 1992).

Famke Janssen, the perfect mate

Resourceful Trekkies can likely find the early makeup tests that Terry Farrell went through for "Deep Space Nine." It seems that the original Dax makeup design was to give her Odan's forehead ridges  but to make them less pronounced . The reason for a more "subtle" version of the makeup was likely twofold. For one, the series already featured numerous alien characters that required hours-long makeup jobs, and having one fewer was cheaper. It's also likely that someone didn't want the actor's face covered. According to the "365" book, the studio in particular didn't want an attractive actor like Farrell to sport a weird alien forehead. A redesign of the Trill makeup was required.

Westmore recalled doing makeup for "The Perfect Mate" and was inspired. In that episode, a woman named Kamala (Famke Janssen) is being transported in stasis to a diplomatic summit where she will offered as a bartered bride. Kamala's arranged marriage with a distant politician will, it is hoped, end a generations-long war. Naturally, Kamala — having been released from stasis early by accident — accidentally bonds with Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart). Kamala was depicted as being romantically and sexually irresistible, and her makeup was meant to reflect that. Westmore was fond of her look, which incorporated a series of small red spots on Kamala's temples.

That look was recreated for Dax and even expanded. Dax had a complex series of spots that ran down her temples and down her neck. A flirtatious alien once asked Dax how far down the spots go, and she winkingly replied, "All the way."

The new Trill look worked well. It denoted that she was an alien, but more subtly than the show's Changeling or Ferengi characters.

The continuity headache

Sadly, the new makeup design caused no small amount of headaches for Trekkies obsessed with continuity (which is to say, most Trekkies). In "The Host," both Odan and the eventual second host of his symbiont (played by actor Nicole Orth-Pallavicini) had the ridged forehead and pronounced septums. After that, all Trill had the temple spots, even into the days of "Star Trek: Discovery." There has never been a canonical reason for the change, and no characters have ever commented that Trill used to look different.

It is, frustratingly, just another changed "Star Trek" premise that fans merely have to accept. For many years, for example, Klingons looked like humans, only sporting Fu-Manchu-style mustaches. In "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," they suddenly had outsize forehead ridges. In "Next Generation," their foreheads were enormous, and in "Discovery," they sported either jet-black or pearl-white skin, elongated skulls, new eyeballs, and even extra nostrils. These kinds of changes are done for the benefit of the showrunners' creativity and typically serve to make fans squirm uncomfortably. Something similar happened with the Romulans as they moved from the original "Star Trek" to the days of "Next Generation."

Of course, with the Klingons, their change was eventually addressed . A multi-part episode of "Star Trek: Enterprise" explained that the "Original Series" Klingons were infused with enhanced human DNA. That DNA would eventually be bred out of Klingons in a few generations, hence they looked the way they did in "Next Generation."

Given the attention to detail some "Trek" writers pay, it's likely a future episode will explain away the Trill foreheads in earnest.

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Published Apr 15, 2024

Star Trek 101: Trill History

Learn everything you can about the Trill after Discovery's latest episode with this curated watch list.

StarTrek.com

While there are a number of fan favorite species in the Star Trek universe, perhaps one of the most beloved is the Trill.

Made popular with the character of Jadzia Dax on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , the Trill have always been a fascinating part of the Star Trek universe, and their culture has been the source of many fan discussions.

With the planet Trill and an important ritual making a reappearance in the latest episode of Star Trek: Discovery , we’re counting down the most important legacy Trill centric episodes to watch to best understand who the Trill are, what a symbiont is, and much, much more.

" The Host ," Star Trek: The Next Generation (Season 4, Episode 23)

Star Trek: The Next Generation – The Host

The Trill were first introduced in this episode, where Dr. Crusher falls in love with a Trill ambassador.

However, when the ambassador is injured, he confides in Crusher that he's carrying a symbiont and explains that while a Trill host can die, the symbiont must be protected and transferred to a new Trill host as soon as possible. Riker plays host to the symbiont until it is transferred into a new Trill. This episode plays with the idea of the symbiont being part of a host's personality and shows how the symbiont carries the memories of each past life before it.

" Dax ," Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Season 1, Episode 8)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Dax

Can you be blamed for something done in a past life?

This first Dax-centric episode in Deep Space Nine ’s seven-season run establishes that Jadzia remembers all things that Dax has done in the past, but questions if she can be blamed for those actions.

Delving deep into the ethical quandaries of being a host, this classic episode written by Star Trek scribe D.C. Fontana is one that's key to revisit to understand the history of the Trill, and what their culture represents. After all, as Sisko argues, Jadzia is a different person than Curzon Dax, or any of Dax's previous lives. A current host shouldn’t have to take the fall for something done in a past life that could have happened before they were even born.

" Invasive Procedures ," Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Season 2, Episode 4)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Invasive Procedures

A Trill named Verad attacks the station and tries to take the Dax symbiont from Jadzia in this Season 2 episode.

While mostly centering on the crew's attempts to save Jadzia and her symbiont from the invaders and take back the station, this episode still reveals some key points about the Trill. Namely, they don’t give symbionts to any Trill who applies and the process for application is grueling. Jadzia insists that a Trill can live a good life without being a host, but Verad is insistent that he be joined, even going so far as to force Dr. Bashir to transfer the Dax symbiont to him. Ultimately, Dax is returned to Jadzia and she is able to be joined once more with the symbiont that has become such a part of her.

" Equilibrium ," Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Season 3, Episode 4)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Equilibrium

When Jadzia starts having hallucinations and begins playing the same musical motif over and over, she journeys back to the Trill homeworld to understand what’s happening to her.

Ultimately, it is revealed that Dax had a host she never knew about — a murderer named Joran. Joran Dax was considered to be unsuitable, and yet he was able to host the Dax symbiont without being rejected. This revealed that the process for choosing the host unfairly shut out most Trill from being able to be joined, due to the smaller number of symbionts compared to the Trill population. Sisko uses this knowledge to save Jadzia’s life, and in the end, Jadzia reconciles with Dax's missing memories and Joran.

" Facets ," Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Season 3, Episode 25)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Facets

"Facets" centered on a ceremony in which the previous Dax hosts were able to inhabit another's body so that Jadzia could converse with them and learn from their experiences.

This establishes that while a host can die, their memories and experiences live on within the symbiont itself, and as a result, Jadzia can learn from them, even if they’re technically gone. She can also summon them to the forefront of her mind or even have them sent to others, who can then be, well, a host to the former host. The episode also features a delightfully comedic turn as Odo shares his consciousness with Curzon Dax, who’s far more relaxed than the usually stoic and buttoned up constable.

" Rejoined ," Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Season 4, Episode 6)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Rejoined

Perhaps Star Trek ’s most famous episode centered on LGBTQIA+ themes, "Rejoined" sees Jadzia reunited with fellow Trill Lenara Kahn — both the Dax symbiont and the Kahn symbiont had been paired with married hosts.

Jadzia and Lenara realize they have more in common now than they ever did in the past, and slowly begin to fall in love again. The episode features the first same sex kiss in Star Trek history, establishes that Jadzia is not straight, and that the Trill are a fluid species that don’t judge based on sexuality. However, due to Trill culture and taboo, Lenara and Jadzia are not allowed to be together, which makes their doomed romance all the more heartbreaking.

" Afterimage ," Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Season 7, Episode 3)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Afterimage

After Jadzia’s untimely death at the hands of Gul Dukat in the Season 6 finale, the Dax host is passed on to a new Trill, Ezri.

Ezri faces uncertainty from those on Deep Space 9 who knew Jadzia, ranging from discomfort to outright hostility. This episode makes it clear that it's difficult for a new host to pick up where their old life left off, as Ezri tries to forge her own identity in a world that's so used to Jadzia and who she was.

" Field of Fire ," Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (Season 7, Episode 13)

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Field of Fire

It’s up to Ezri to solve a murder, with the help of past host Joran Dax.

Ezri is able to summon Joran to the forefront of her subconscious and has visions of him helping her as she works to solve the murder of a Deep Space 9 crewmember. At the end of the episode, a counter-ritual sends Joran back into her subconscious, where he remains with the other Dax lives. This episode serves to show how Trill can access past lives and even interact with them, though to an outside observer, they only see the current host.

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This article was originally published on November 8, 2020.

• Star Trek 101

Memory Beta, non-canon Star Trek Wiki

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• Races and cultures
• Alpha Quadrant races and cultures
• Federation races and cultures
• Humanoid species
• View history
• 1.1 Biology
• 1.2.1 Rituals
• 1.3.1 Civilization
• 1.3.2 Alternate timelines
• 2.1 Notable Trill
• 3.1 Appearances
• 3.2 External link

History and specifics [ ]

Biology [ ].

Trill Internal Anatomy

Trill were marsupials , and as such, had abdominal pouches with which to provide incubation for their newborns. Both males and females had pouches, and both sexes were capable of incubation. The pouch was also used as a conduit for medications to quickly enter the body, as well as the joining point between host and Trill symbiont .

Tens of thousands of years ago , the bipedal Trill humanoid was covered in sleek fur and had a steeply ridged brow. It was at this stage of their evolution that the first joining occurred. ( DS9 - Worlds of DS9 - Volume Two novel : Trill: Unjoined )

An important neurotransmitter in the Trill brain is isoboramine . ( DS9 episode : " Equilibrium ", DSC episode : " Forget Me Not ")

Culture [ ]

The Trill mathematical system is noted for containing ethical modes. ( TNG novel : Intellivore )

The Trill ruling council was divided into junior and senior members. Senior members, whose symbionts had lived more than one lifetime, were allowed to call general meetings. Junior members, whose symbionts had lived only one, were not. Membership was restricted to joined men until the 21st century. ( DS9 short story : " First Steps ")

While Trill society was sharply gendered for generations, the custom of symbionts swapping between successive male and female hosts made for an androgynous subculture. ( DS9 short story : " First Steps ")

Rituals [ ]

• rite of emergence

History [ ]

Around 23,000 BC , a Trill symbiont named Sef enticed a walker to the Pool in which it lived and entered its pouch becoming the first joined Trill. ( DS9 - Worlds of DS9 - Volume Two novel : Trill: Unjoined )

Two major factors contributed to the rise of Trill technology: the memories of symbionts, and easy access to ores and heavy metals. The symbionts could communicate with the humanoid Trills through joining, although the ways and means of the first jining remain shrouded in secrecy by the Trill Symbiosis Commission . Symbionts passed from host to host but retained their memories and friendships, and kept Trill society centered on a long-term view. Geologically, the planet Trill 's heavy tectonic activity led to the formation of quakecaverns and eroded tunnels, through which the Trill could easily gain access to deposits of iron, aluminum, and other useful metals. The combination of the two factors led to the rapid rise of technology. ( Decipher RPG module : Worlds )

As Trill society grew, their governments adopted a system influenced by the symbionts. The symbiont populations grew much more slowly than the humanoid Trill populations, so many Trills competed to have the right qualifications to be selected as a host. This general competitiveness showed through academic achievement and philosophical development—the symbionts made it clear that they would reject violent individuals who tried to become hosts by force. As a result, all Trill civilization stressed a high level of education and ethical personal responsibility. By the time they had covered all of their planet's landmasses, the Trill already had a unified world government, a meritocracy run through systems of examinations and scientific appointments. This system was well in place by the time the Trill met the Federation , but matters were still cool between the two powers. Trills valued their independence and their position as a neutral party. Over the exchange of several decades, it became clear that the Federation stood for the same high values that Trill society encouraged—and that the members of the Federation had embraced those values, due to long years of struggle and learning, having worked hard to establish what came naturally to Trill culture. Eventually, the Trill applied for and received Federation membership in one of the fastest turnaround times from application to completion. ( Decipher RPG module : Worlds )

Civilization [ ]

Trills have a civilization marked by a decided lack of conflict. The combination of environment taking off population pressures, crossed with the stabilizing influence of the peaceful symbionts, helped to make the Trill into intellectuals instead of warriors. Their war was not to subdue other cultures for resources, but rather to tame the environment. ( Decipher RPG module : Worlds )

The Vulcans made first contact with Trill circa 2055, during the youth of Lela Dax . The highly divisive first contact "crisis" engendered many policy changes regarding the symbionts, including putting the symbiont pools under guard. The Trill government adopted a xenophobic stance, repulsing any contact with other alien species. Messages were sent to alien ships asking them to bypass the Trill system. This policy continued until the L'Dira incident in 2075. ( DS9 short story : " First Steps ")

By the 22nd century , Trills had largely tamed their world, and engaged in rudimentary space travel and contacts with other cultures through subspace radio . The close of the 22nd century saw the Trill invention of warp drive . By the 23rd century , Trill warp engines were on par with most Starfleet designs; Trill travelers became a common sight throughout the Alpha Quadrant , although their symbionts remained secret and the Trill had little desire to colonize or conquer other worlds. ( Decipher RPG module : Worlds )

The Burn , an apocalyptic event which took place in the 31st century , greatly affected Trill. The population was decimated, and the survivors withdrew from the Federation. ( DSC episode : " Forget Me Not ")

Alternate timelines [ ]

In the Kelvin timeline , Doctor Leonard McCoy had a nightmare in 2255 where he had to treat streams of patients, including Trill, all by himself. ( TOS - Starfleet Academy novel : The Assassination Game )

In another alternate timeline , the Trill scientist Jadzia Dax subscribed to the Bajoran religion . ( SCE eBook : Lost Time )

In one permutation of the mirror universe , the Terran Empire made contact with the Trill homeworld in the 23rd century . Spock , Emperor of the Terran Empire , had all Trill symbionts in the Caves of Mak'ala killed by Captain Saavik of the ISS Enterprise , and organised the assassination of every joined Trill except for Curzon Dax . ( ST - Mirror Universe novel : The Sorrows of Empire )

Known Individuals [ ]

Notable trill [ ].

• Lenara Kahn
• Bejal Otner

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ], external link [ ].

• Trill article at Memory Alpha , the wiki for canon Star Trek .
• 1 Ferengi Rules of Acquisition
• 2 Odyssey class
• 3 Constitution class

Trill ( Star Trek )

• View history

The Trill are a fictional species of symbiotic life forms , depicted in the Star Trek media franchise. First introduced in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation , the species became a major part of the spin-off series, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , which featured a Trill named Dax as one of its main characters.

Trill are depicted as comprising a humanoid host, and a worm-shaped symbiote that is implanted in the host's abdomen. Their personalities are a combination of the host and symbiote, with the symbiote's memories providing continuity between hosts. Their home world, also named Trill, is a planet in the Alpha Quadrant , the primary setting of most of the Star Trek series.

• 1 Depicted biology
• 2 Development of appearance and characterization
• 3.1 Depiction in non-canonical novels
• 4 Joined Trill characters
• 5 External links

Depicted biology [ ]

The hosts , as they are called, are humanoids that appear much like humans, except with distinctive black or brown spots visible from the top of the head, down each side of the face and neck, and down across the shoulders and the sides of the chest, thighs, legs to their feet. Their hands are noted for being unusually cold to the touch (" A Man Alone ", DS9 Season 1). Trill are strongly allergic to insect bites, because the toxins interfere with the biochemical connections between host and symbiont (" The Siege ", DS9 Season 2).

The symbionts are helpless, worm-shaped lifeforms who contain the memories of their previous hosts, and who inhabit the abdomens of the humanoid hosts. When a host and a symbiont are joined, the resulting individual is considered a new being. When a host dies, the symbiont is transplanted into a new host. Ninety-three hours after the joining, the host and symbiont are completely interdependent, but up to then, the joining may be reversed without killing the host. A symbiont who is neither implanted into a new host nor returned to their habitat (pools of nutrient-rich liquid on the Trill homeworld) will quickly die, as will a joined Trill host within one to two days of the symbiont being removed.

In rare cases, Trill symbionts can be joined with non-Trill humanoids, but the differences in biology means the results are often unstable (" The Host ", TNG ). Commander William Riker was briefly joined to the Odan symbiont so that Odan could complete peace negotiations, and to keep Odan alive until a new Trill host could arrive. While this effort saved Odan's life, it nearly caused Riker's death.

Development of appearance and characterization [ ]

Odan, a Trill as seen in Star Trek: The Next Generation

In the first appearance of Trill in the TNG episode " The Host ", Trill were depicted physically quite differently than their later appearances. Also, they were unable to be safely transported via transporter , a weakness not shown in later appearances when Trill became a regularly used race. No explanation of the differences is ever given onscreen, but according to an article on startrek.com, humanoid Trills are actually composed of at least two races that can be used as hosts for the symbiont. It is also revealed in this episode that humans can also serve as temporary hosts to the symbionts when Commander William Riker hosted Odan's symbiont. The crew's general unfamiliarity with the race is a minor contradiction with later episodes, which stated that the Trill (such as Curzon Dax) had been working with the Federation regularly long before their first appearance in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ; " Trials and Tribble-ations " implied that a host of Dax was romantically involved with Leonard McCoy when the original Star Trek series character was still a college student. Other differences included the change in makeup style from a prosthetic forehead to a series of spots, although some makeup tests and sketches were made in the preproduction of Deep Space Nine using the earlier makeup style, but the actress who would play Jadzia Dax , Terry Farrell , proved allergic to the extensive prostheses, and so the new style was created. The Trill naming style, of using their host name as a first name and their symbiont name as a surname, differs from their first appearance, in which the Trill Odan was only known by that one name.

"The Joining" and Trill culture [ ]

Template:In-universe It was originally assumed that only a small fraction (0.01%) of the Trill population was capable of being joined, a myth that the Trill government continues to perpetuate. This is because the joining of the Dax symbiont with the host Joran (Curzon's predecessor) was a disaster — Joran was insane and a murderer. Joran's joining with Dax was covered up and all records of it were erased. The Trill government attempted to blame the failure on Joran's unsuitability as a host, but the truth was that Joran had passed the host screening tests and was technically a stable host — as was almost half of the Trill humanoid population. The government dares not let this information become public, lest the symbionts become a commodity to be bought, sold and fought over by the public; as long as it is widely believed that only a small fraction can become hosts, the government reasons, then such widespread hysteria can be avoided (" Equilibrium ", DS9 ).

A joined Trill is known by the given name of the host followed by the name of the symbiont: for example, when Ezri Tigan was joined with the symbiont Dax, her name became Ezri Dax .

Trill society has a taboo against resuming relationships with loved ones from one's past joining, on the principle that each life must be unique (" Rejoined ", DS9 ). This taboo apparently does not extend to non-romantic relationships (or perhaps non-Trills), since Jadzia Dax renewed Curzon Dax's friendship with Benjamin Sisko and others without comment, as Ezri Dax renewed Jadzia's friendship with the crew of Deep Space Nine. This taboo also was not yet developed at the time of the TNG episode " The Host ", which featured a romantic relationship between Odan and Dr. Crusher, which Odan wished to continue through several hosts.

Depiction in non-canonical novels [ ]

In the non- canon Deep Space Nine post-finale novels (known as the "relaunch"), it is revealed that the Trill symbionts are related to the evil parasitic species seen in the Next Generation episode " Conspiracy ". The parasites resulted from genetic tampering upon the symbionts to make them resistant to disease. However, when their creations turned evil, the Trill tried to eradicate them, leading to the parasites' vendetta against the symbionts. The appearance of Odan — Trill hosts who have no spots, but ridges on their foreheads — is also explained (in the novel Forged in Fire , by Andy Mangels and Michael A. Martin ), where a strain of the Klingon Augment virus (the disease responsible for the Human-like appearance of Klingons in the Original Series) managed to infect a Trill colony when it was visited by Klingon traders.

Also in the relaunch novels, it is revealed that after a few hundred years, the symbionts become incapable of any further joinings with humanoids and return to the breeding pools and the massive underground lakes that they lead to. There they can live to be many thousands of years old and of enormous size, whereupon they are referred to as the Annuated. The Trill humanoid population at large do not know this, however.

A later novel sees word getting out that almost half of the Trill population was suitable for joining and the joined Trill who had led the planet's culture and society for hundreds of years were no more special than the others. A subsequent terrorist attack by non-joined Trills using an EMP-like bomb kills many symbionts and joined Trills. The planet's leader then announces a moratorium on new joinings and, as a sign of good faith, has her own symbiont taken out using new technology capable of removing it without killing the host.

Joined Trill characters [ ]

• Lenara Kahn

External links [ ]

• Trill at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki )

Template:Star Trek races Template:Star Trek

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Star trek: 10 best trill characters, ranked.

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After Star Trek III, Spock’s Mind Was Saved By…His Mirror Universe Counterpart?

20 best episodes of star trek in tv history, ranked, 11 lgbtq+ characters new star trek shows gave canon.

One of Star Trek 's strengths is its wide breadth of alien species to learn about and discover throughout the series. While humans helm Starfleet, the Klingons, Vulcans, Bajorans, and more among its ranks are just as adored.

RELATED: Star Trek: 10 Smartest Alien Races, Ranked

With Discovery 's third season coming up, let's take a look at a race we're about to see again for the first time in decades: the Trill. This symbiotic species has always been one of the most secretly complex races in Trek . So before fans meet any more Trill faces, talking about the old favorites is a necessity.

Brota is a very short-lived Trill hybrid on DS9 . His whole existence was created and erased within the confines of a single episode. However, there is one very great and important thing about Brota that makes him great.

RELATED: Star Trek: Top 10 Worf Relationships, Ranked

Despite the struggles Worf and Jadzia faced conceiving, and her untimely passing before they could, Brota (a Klingon/Trill hybrid and their descendant) is proof it could've eventually happened. While Trill are sort of purists about their people, Brota and all the other Trill hybrids are great to see. Not just for Jadzia and Worf as a couple, but for the Star Trek universe as a whole.

After Odan, Kell Perim was the first new Trill to appear in any TNG properties. They became a DS9 darling, but didn't quite spread to other series.

However, in the insurrection of Ba'Ku, Kell was a vital member of the Enterprise bridge crew. Sure, she was an ensign, but she worked ops station and helped Riker get a message to Starfleet about the situation on the planet.

In truth, Kell Perim was proof that the Trill were becoming a fan favorite species that would show up again, proved even more by their inclusion in the upcoming Discovery season.

Thanks, Kell.

When young Trill are going through the Symbiosis Commission's program, they spend some time with an already-joined Trill and are assessed for their fitness for a symbiont. While on DS9 , Jadzia was visited by a candidate named Arjin. Their relationship started out tenuous, but over time Arjin was able to show Jadzia his values and worth, despite his shyness and anxiety.

However, Jadzia did also go against her culture's reverence of joining by telling Arjin that a symbiont isn't necessary to being successful and a whole person.

Fans never learn if Arjin chooses to join, but even having a Trill uncertain about joining and encouraging a conversation against bonding is a big, fascinating step in Trill characters.

Yanas Tigan

Mother of Ezri herself, Yanas Tigan was a wealthy, un-joined Trill who made a name for herself on Sappora VII with her husband. They raised three talented children; a therapist, an artist, and a future businessman.

Despite all the problems that she has with her kids, she really just wants the best for them. At the end of the day, she was trying to protect them from the Orion Syndicate, not cause more trouble.

RELATED: 10 Classic Star Trek Organizations That Deserve Their Own Show

With all the symbiotic elitism in Trill culture, Yanas really did a great job making a name for family and her family alone.

Ever since Trekkies met Odan, Trills seemed like these cool, mysterious people with a bizarre relationship with a space slug. Then, as fans learned more, their culture became more elitist, only picking the best of the best for bonding.

Joran was fantastic because he changed all the rules about the Trill home culture. He was not the best of the best. He was violent, erratic, unpredictable, unstable. However, symbionts weren't unable to bond with other people. It was that the leadership of Trill chose to keep them for the best of the best and no one else. Joran's existence as a host, however short, changed everything.

Lenara Kahn

Lenara is brilliant, beautiful, and romantic, but her actions make her all the more interesting.

In Trill culture, it is very frowned upon to interact with people from the lives of previous hosts. However, during Lenara's science expedition, she heads to DS9 and meets the new host of Dax (Jadzia), who used to be her husband in a previous life.

RELATED: Star Trek: 10 LGBTQ Characters You May Have Missed

While they spend time together, Lenara struggles with her feelings for Jadzia, the rules, and what kind of person she wants to be.

She ends up breaking Jadzia's heart by choosing Trill over their romance, but the time fans spent with her was worth it.

Kareel Odan

Odan was the first Trill that fans ever met, and boy was it a surprise. Between his romance with Beverly, putting him in Riker, and then his final female form, the entire experience was a trip. Though they eventually traded out the brow ridges for spots, Trill have always been a fascinating species. And fans have to thank Odan for being the introduction to their entire culture.

Sure, he and Beverly didn't work out in the end, but he was a sweet and romantic person who made the galaxy a better place. Both in the Star Trek universe and out of it, for being the character that led to other influential fan favorites like Jadzia, Ezri, and Curzon.

Even though fans never see Curzon in person, only in flashbacks or through body-snatching, he is one of the most influential forces on the cast of characters. At least, the Starfleet ones. Julian respected his record. Jadzia was proud to live up to his name and hold his memories close to her heart. And Ben Sisko? Well, Curzon was the mentor he adored. His life echoed through the characters and made particularly Jadzia and Sisko stronger for it.

Also it was pretty badass that the dude was so respected on Qo'Nos that they saw him as an honorary Klingon.

Where most hosts are supposed to be prepared and trained for their symbiont, Ezri just happened to be the nearest Trill. Bonding with Dax gave her a lot of confusion about her sense of self and her direction in life.

Sure, Ezri may have only had one season as the famous Dax, but she went through a lot of growth and it was nice to see some of the characters get some much needed psychological care from her kind heart. Dax was lucky that Ezri was a strong young woman who overcame her struggles with bonding and became a better person for it.

As the most fleshed-out and bold Trill known to Trek -dom, of course Jadzia Dax is the best member of her race in Star Trek . While Ezri has a lot more psychological struggles to deal with, Jadzia is a confident and dynamic young woman who really found greatness and strength in her symbiosis. She was already beautiful and intelligent, but the symbiont brought out the best in her, including a bunch of unique hobbies and traits like Klingon battle and Ferengi gambling.

It was tiresome so many men loved her, but to be fair, a lot of fans fell in love with her, too.

NEXT: Star Trek: 12 Last Minute Changes That Saved DS9 (And 8 That Hurt It)

Best LGBTQ+ Star Trek Characters

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Star Trek Discovery’s Non-Binary Character Is Essential Representation

Star trek: 6 worst things done by the federation, ranked, star trek: 8 impressive things jean-luc picard did before joining the uss enterprise.

• Star Trek has evolved to include LGBTQ+ characters, paving the way for representation and acceptance in the franchise.
• Characters like Paul Stamets and Adira Tal represent meaningful LGBTQ+ relationships within the Star Trek universe.
• The inclusion of diverse LGBTQ+ characters in Star Trek reflects a commitment to progress and inclusivity in media.

Star Trek is the IP that was always seen as a progressive force in media, and its early subject matter reflected the contemporary Civil Rights movement. The franchise has shown how humans can get past the unnecessary squabbles that come from differences, be they race, gender, artificial intelligence, or sexual orientation.

6 Most Selfless Characters In Star Trek: The Next Generation

The future is looking bright with these Star Trek: The Next Generation characters showcasing the nature of good in their selflessness.

While there was very little LGBTQ+ representation in the original Star Trek , later series and films have introduced a plethora of LGBTQ+ characters. Many fans of the franchise have pointed to these characters as very important for the development of Star Trek , their journeys, and overall LGBTQ+ acceptance.

Updated on June 8th, 2024, by Kristy Ambrose: It used to be that television shows of the 20th Century had to be PG and water down any hint of sexuality. It was considered risque for Fred and Wilma Flinstone to sleep in the same bed. Which is why the original Star Trek resonated so deeply with audiences, with daring scripts that included interracial kisses and women in positions of leadership. Now that the Star Trek franchise has evolved beyond the tiresome "family-friendly" tone that hampered the first few years of The Next Generation and the movies of the early 21st Century, it's nice to see more LGBTQ+ representation in new shows from the IP. LGBTQ+ characters are nothing new to Trek, but to take note of their long history exploring the final frontier, this list has been updated to highlight a few more LGBTQ+ characters from Star Trek's history.

12 Jadzia Dax

Star trek: deep space nine.

• Played By: Terry Farrell

In Deep Space Nine , Jadzia Dax is a Trill, a species that combines with non-binary symbionts with remarkably long lives. While Jadzia identifies as female, her symbiont has previously combined with male bodies as well. This leads to a tender moment when Jadzia's symbiont recognizes a former lover, a symbiont who combined with Lenara Kahn .

This leads to the first same-sex kiss in the Star Trek franchise. Unfortunately, the couple can't re-ignite their romance due to other taboos in the Trill culture. Jadzia would also end up marrying Worf, and the show explored the possibilities of an inter-species relationship instead.

11 Hikaru Sulu

Star trek: 2009 - the kelvin timeline.

• Played By: John Cho

The Enterprise helmsman in The Original Series , Sulu's sexual orientation became the topic of discussion after actor George Takei publicly announced he was gay in 2005. In the Kelvin timeline films, John Cho's version of the character is the first in the IP to be explicitly introduced as gay in a brief scene in Star Trek: Beyond.

Many criticized how brief the scene was, as it was not "really representative," and even George Takei claimed it didn't fit with Gene Roddenberry's original vision for the character. However, many LGBTQ+ Star Trek fans pointed to that moment as the first time they saw any form of representation in the franchise. Many also believed that it would lead to bigger roles for the LGBTQ+ community in the future, and it did.

10 Paul Stamets

Star trek: discovery.

• Played By: Anthony Rapp

Star Trek: Discovery pushed the boundaries of LGBTQ+ representation and exploration. There were hints in other series, and Deep Space Nine used Trills to attempt representation. Star Trek: Discovery , though, introduced no fewer than five LGBTQ+ characters. The most prominent among them is Chief Engineer Paul Stamets.

Played by openly gay actor Anthony Rapp, Stamets is integral in saving the crew several times throughout the series. In a committed relationship with the ship's doctor, Hugh Culber, he represents one of the higher-ranking LGBTQ+ officers. Changes in society and the move to streaming services have allowed for more LGBTQ+ representation going forward.

9 Captain Angel

Star trek: strange new worlds.

• Played By: Jesse James Keitel

Almost all of the characters brought to life by Jesse James Keitel are non-binary, going back to the show Big Sky in 2020. Captain Angel , the antagonist of the episode named after their ship, "The Serene Squall", usually concerns themself with piracy, but they gets involved in a kidnapping hostage-swap conspiracy engineered by Sybok, Spock's estranged half-brother, who is trying to bust out of Vulcan custody.

Sybok is the main antagonist in the movie Star Trek V: The Final Frontier , which takes place several decades after this episode. He enlists Angel to impersonate a Starfleet doctor who's been marooned in an attempt to infiltrate the Enterprise , grab Spock, and hold him hostage in exchange for freeing Sybok. The plan goes sour thanks to the quick thinking of Captain Pike, and Angel is taken into custody along with their crew to fight another day.

8 Dr. Hugh Culber

• Played By: Wilson Cruz

The other half of the captivating couple on Discovery , Dr. Culber is played another member of the LGBTQ+ community, Wilson Cruz. Culber was tragically killed by a Klingon but was inadvertently saved by Stamets, who somehow pulled Culber's essence into the jahSepp, allowing his resurrection.

Star Trek: Discovery – Hugh Culber's Resurrection, Explained

Star Trek: Discovery has been putting Hugh Culber through the wringer since his resurrection in season 2, but what does it all mean?

Culber, much like Stamets, provides an excellent representation of the LGBTQ+ community. While it could have been easy to introduce the first same-sex couple as lowly ensigns and still make it work, using such high-ranking officers as the Chief Engineer and ship's Doctor for representation gives hope for a better future without discrimination.

7 Jett Reno

• Played By: Tig Notaro

Introduced in season two of Star Trek: Discovery , Jett Reno is an engineer who helps Commander Stamets. Reno is a widowed lesbian after her wife was killed in the Federation-Klingon War. She is played by Tig Notaro who is also openly lesbian, continuing Discovery's tradition of casting actors from the LGBTQ+ community to play the LGBTQ+ characters.

Reno served as a counselor of sorts for Culber who was struggling after his resurrection. She was the first one to notice that Stamets was still in love with Culber, while Culber was rejecting Stamets following the events on the jahSepp. She was pragmatic and level-headed which allowed her to be the perfect antithesis to the more vocal and emotional Stamets in the Engineering Department.

6 Adira Tal

• Played By: Blu del Barrio

Introduced in season three of Discovery , Adira Tal is the very first truly non-binary character on a Star Trek series. Using they/them pronouns, Adira is played by openly non-binary actor Blu del Barrio. Much like Jadzia Dax, Adira is joined to a Trill symbiont, even though Adira themself is a human. As established in Deep Space Nine , Trill symbionts are non-binary, but Adira is the first non-binary host.

With the push for more inclusive content, Some shows, like Star Trek: Discovery, continue to set the standard for respectful representation.

In a relationship with a Trill, Gray Tal, the pair demonstrated how struggles of life, love, and loss are no different for the LGBTQ+ community as they are from the heteronormative community.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

• Played By: Melinda Culea

The years of TNG had plenty of hetero-normative romantic stories, but the nature of television at the time discouraged the open portrayal of LGBTQ+ characters. With some smart writing and determined actors, as in the spirit of the old show, the non-binary character Soren got their own episode, and it was a brilliant moment of allegory.

Soren was J'naii , a member of an androgynous alien species who had a brief romantic encounter with William Riker. In the course of their time on the Enterprise , Soren decides to identify as female, but the leaders of her people, who mandate that everyone stay non-binary, are having none of it.

In one of the most tragic moments in all of Star Trek history, Soren is taken into custody and returned to her home planet for "reeducation." The flip side of this argument, that a society where binary identities are enforced in much the same way, is equally chilling and the true moral of the story.

• Played By: Ian Alexander

Gray is a transgender male Trill who is also Adira's boyfriend on Discovery . Gray is played by Ian Alexander, who much like Gray, is openly transgender. Both Gray and Alexander are the first openly transgender characters and actors in a Star Trek series.

The Federation certainly doesn't have clean hands in the Star Trek franchise. These examples demonstrate them at their worst.

Gray was joined by the Tal symbiont for a while but was killed in an attack on the ship. His symbiont was transferred to Adira until Gray could be resurrected by Dr. Culber. He eventually returns to the Trill homeworld to train as a Guardian.

3 Seven Of Nine

Star trek: voyager.

• Played By: Jeri Ryan

A fan-favorite character introduced on Voyager , Seven of Nine returns on Picard, where her sexuality is explored further. On Voyager , she had a relationship with Chakotay, a male member of the crew. On Picard , she enters a relationship with Picard's close friend and crewmate Raffi, a woman.

This depiction confirms Seven is, at the very least, a bisexual member of the LGBTQ+ community. Actress Jeri Ryan, who portrays Seven, has confirmed in interviews she believes the character to be pansexual.

2 Raffi Musiker

Star trek: picard.

• Played By: Michelle Hurd

Introduced on Star Trek: Picard , Raffi Musiker is a friend of Admiral Picard, who is quickly demonstrated to share a mutual attraction with Seven of Nine. Portrayed by Michelle Hurd, not much is shown about Raffi's sexuality in the first two seasons, other than her budding relationship with Seven.

Jean Luc Picard is one of the most well-respected captains in Star Trek, and his feats are impressive even before he led the USS Enterprise.

In the third season of Picard , it's established that Raffi was previously married to a man and has a son and granddaughter. This revelation confirms that Raffi is, at the very least, a bisexual representative of the LGBTQ+ community.

1 Beckett Mariner

Star trek: lower decks.

• Played By: Tawny Newsome

The only animated Star Trek character to be confirmed to be part of the LGBTQ+ community, Mariner is essentially the main character of Lower Decks and also appears on Strange New Worlds . She explicitly says in the series she has dated "men, women, and gender non-binary babes." It is confirmed she dated a man before the events of the series, and, in season three, she is pursuing a relationship with a woman.

The creator of Lower Decks has confirmed none of the characters were written as heteronormative, although Mariner's sexuality is the only one that has been explored on screen. Tawny Newsome plays the live-action version of the character as well as providing her voice to the animated Mariner.

• Movies & TV

10 Best Star Trek: Picard Episodes, Ranked

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After Patrick Stewart agreed to reprise his role as Jean-Luc Picard for a sequel series, fans of Star Trek were cautiously optimistic. However, much of the series was nothing like Star Trek: The Next Generation , even when the third and final season brought back the principal cast of the show.

When looking at the highest ranked episodes of Star Trek: Picard , it's hard to overlook how beloved the third season is. Just looking at IMDB user ratings, and the majority of fans' "Top 10" Star Trek: Picard episodes, it's no surprise to see many from Season 3 hit their lists. This is because no series is ever about just one character. In fact, the only episode not from Picard's final season represented here is one that features no fewer than three classic USS Enterprise-D crewmembers.

'Dominion' Showed the Effects of Starfleet's Last War Still Resonated

Star trek: deep space nine's war with the changelings continued in picard, how star trek: discovery's trill story connects to dax on deep space nine.

Star Trek: Discovery returned to the Trill home world in Season 5 for a mission with a symbiont host that connects to Jadzia Dax on Deep Space Nine.

Because of a regime change in the executive suites at Paramount, the second wave of Star Trek came to an unceremonious end after Star Trek: Nemesis failed to make a profit and Star Trek Enterprise's network failed to survive . Thus, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine never got the epilogue the groundbreaking show deserved. At least, not until "Dominion," in which the mysterious villain Vadic was revealed to be a prisoner of war captured and experimented on by the nefarious Section 31.

The black ops division of Starfleet made the captured Changeling Founders even more powerful. When Vadic escaped, she was able to share her "upgrades" by creating the perfect operatives to infiltrate and take down Starfleet . Contracted by the Borg, who had their own vendetta, she was all too happy to hurt Jean-Luc Picard, his crew and family in the name of revenge. Luckily, thanks to Picard's newly-discovered son, Jack Crusher , Vadic and her soldiers were defeated. Of course, Starfleet's problems were just beginning.

'Nepenthe' Brought Back Classic Star Trek: The Next Generation Characters

Jean-luc picard was reunited with will riker and deanna troi.

The first season of Star Trek: Picard was very different from what fans expected, presenting the beloved former captain of the USS Enterprise as a disillusioned and bitter man. Only after discovering Data's "daughter," a synthetic lifeform named "Soji," Picard was able to rediscover a purpose. However, because she was being hunted by a dangerous group of Romulan anti-synth zealots, Picard and Soji had to take refuge somewhere lest they be captured or killed. That brought them to Nepenthe, the planet where William Riker and Deanna Troi retired to in an effort to save their dying son .

Not only did Jean-Luc reunite with his beloved Number One and his most trusted advisor Deanna, he also got to meet their surviving child. Kestra (named after Deanna Troi's deceased sister) became fast friends with Soji. Even with the loss of their child, this was a lighter episode in Season 1 that showed for all the changes Picard endured, some things remained the same. Troi and Riker were forever loyal to their friend and captain, with Riker eventually assembling the fleet to save Picard , Soji and an entire planet of Data's synthetic "children."

'The Next Generation' Brought Jean-Luc Picard Back to His Roots

Fan-favorite star trek characters new and old set the course for season 3.

The Season 3 premiere of Picard was the beginning of a new era even as the series itself began its swan song. Picard was originally planned to only run three seasons, but thanks to Star Trek veteran and showrunner Terry Matalas , the final season was the Star Trek: The Next Generation movie fans never got but always wanted. It kicked off the season's story by introducing Captain Liam Shaw, a traumatized officer who was not swayed by Picard's and Riker's reputations. It also put Star Trek: Voyager -alum, Seven of Nine, into a Starfleet uniform for the first time, which is where she always belonged .

Despite the excellence of this cast's first series, Beverly Crusher was underserved by The Next Generation , never reaching her full potential. From the first scene of "The Next Generation," this was changed. Dr. Crusher was no longer just a doctor, but a more valued member of Starfleet. She was also once more a mother . Even though audiences wouldn't learn her son Jack's identity until later, it helped explain why Dr. Crusher would cut herself off from Picard and the rest of her crewmates. It was a thrilling start to an incredible season that delivered what The Next Generation fans wanted from the moment Picard was announced.

'Seventeen Seconds' Challenged Picard Like Never Before

From a threat to the ship to falling out with riker it was a heavy episode, every episode of star trek: picard season 2, ranked.

Star Trek: Picard Season 2 was a varied and emotionally heavy season, and here's how critics and fans ranked each episode in the time-travel saga.

After learning that Jack Crusher was his son (and that Beverly kept him a secret from Jean-Luc ), Picard wasn't sure how to feel. On the run from Vadic and her overpowered warship, The Shrike, Picard had to figure out how to protect Jack and the crew of the USS Titan-A who weren't even supposed to be in this mess. The title of the episode ties into the "seventeen seconds" it took the turbolift to go from the bridge to sickbay. Riker first mentions it when talking about being summoned because of difficulties during the birth of his late son Thaddeus. It was also how long it took Picard to get to Jack after he was almost killed by a Changeling imposter.

The episode was emotionally taxing, with the USS Titan-A outmatched and outwitted by Vadic and the crew of the Shrike. After Admiral Picard agreed to serve as Captain Riker's "Number One," the two friends and allies had a bitter, heartbreaking argument. When the ship is seemingly disabled beyond repair, Riker throws Picard off the bridge , declaring Jean-Luc "just killed us all." It was the kind of conflict fans never got to see before, largely because of the so-called "Roddenberry Box" from the The Next Generation era. It elevated the series and the overall story with dire stakes in a hopeless situation.

'Surrender' Was a Low Point for Picard and the USS Titan Crew

After losing data in season 1, the star trek favorite saved the day.

The crew of the USS Titan-A set a trap for Vadic and her Changeling soldiers, that backfired thanks to the return of classic The Next Generation enemy, Lore. The heroes surrendered, and the villains took control of the ship, killing crewmembers, including the incredibly cool Vulcan science officer T'Veen. However, Jack Crusher discovered a mysterious and spooky ability, allowing him to see through and control the minds of certain Starfleet officers. With a classic risky gambit, Jack and Seven of Nine were able to wrest control from Vadic sending her to her death in the cold vacuum of space.

Yet, "Surrender" is a title with a double meaning. The highlight of the episode was the internal conflict of the new Soong-type synthetic lifeform that contained the consciousness of both Data and Lore . In trying to erase his brother, Data seemingly surrendered his memories to Lore. Yet, by doing so, Data was able to "overwrite" his villainous brother's consciousness and regain control of his body . Once he was back in charge, his technological abilities helped regain control of the ship. This episode also marked the first time all the principal The Next Generation characters were reunited on the USS Titan-A.

'Imposters' Closed a Long Dangling TNG Story Thread in a Tragic Story

The return of ensign ro laren was as shocking as her apparent death, star trek: why ensign ro was not in deep space nine.

Ensign Ro Laren was set to appear in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, but that didn't come to fruition.

After rescuing Picard's best new character, Raffi , from a villainous Ferengi, she and Worf teamed up. Working together outside of Starfleet, the two investigated the plot threatening Starfleet. Worf and Raffi became a truly delightful team, at least until a Vulcan crime lord forced them to fight to the death. However, Worf survived, and he and Raffi uncovered the crucial piece of information they needed to get to the bottom of the mystery. This was also the episode in which the USS Titan-A crew learned about the new, more dangerous Changelings and their infiltration of Starfleet.

The episode also brought back Ro Laren, a former crewmember of the USS Enterprise-D who eventually betrayed Picard by joining the Maquis. After escaping Vadic, Ro showed up to investigate Picard and Riker for treason, specifically for stealing the USS Titan-A. However, she was working her own angle. She'd been both Worf's and Raffi's Starfleet handler trying to unravel the conspiracy. The episode allowed Picard and Ro to get closure after her betrayal, preparing the (retired) Admiral for his mission to save Starfleet from the Changeling threat. This episode also features the most tragic death in Star Trek: Picard , when Ro Laren's shuttle is destroyed .

'The Bounty' Reunited the Enterprise Crew and Other Classic Ships

Star trek: picard's big finish kicked off in this thrilling episode.

One complaint some viewers had about Season 3 was the perceived fan service in Star Trek: Picard . While this is true, it didn't manifest the way people expected. The producers, directors and everyone else involved are fans of this universe and that drove some of the storytelling. The most blatant (and rewarding) instance of this came when the USS Titan-A went to the Fleet Museum, the old Space Dock introduced in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock . Commodore Geordi La Forge was the curator, overseeing the place where some of the most important vessels in Starfleet history were stored.

There are many Star Trek Easter eggs in "The Bounty," but the title was itself a spoiler. The HMS Bounty was the captured Klingon Bird of Prey used in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home . In order to avoid detection by Starfleet, Jack Crusher, Sidney and Alandra La Forge stole the ship's cloaking device to install on the Titan. Meanwhile, in the Daystrom Vault, Worf, Raffi and Riker discovered the newly-constructed synthetic body housing Data and Lore . While they were able to rescue the beloved android, Riker was taken captive by Vadic and her Changeling imposters.

'No Win Scenario' Put Picard and His Crew to the Ultimate Test

This episode shows nobody does 'hopeless' to 'hopeful' like star trek, how liam shaw challenges war veteran tropes in star trek: picard season 3.

Todd Stashwick played the Romulan Talok in Star Trek: Enterprise, but how does he meaningfully represent veterans as Liam Shaw in Star Trek: Picard?

The USS Titan-A was immobilized by the Shrike and left to drift in what everyone thought was a nebula. However, this area of space was actually a kind of gestational cloud in which an alien lifeform (not unlike the creature in The Next Generation 's pilot episode) was ready to give birth. While there was some great ship-to-ship combat, including Riker "throwing an asteroid" at the Shrike, Dr. Crusher saved the ship with some good, old-fashioned Star Trek sci-fi technobabble. It proved that even with the previous episode's conflict, no group can unite to do the impossible like a Starfleet crew.

The final scene of the episode is one of the series' best, in large part due to the beautiful score from Stephen Barton and Freddie Weidmann. After escaping the Shrike and their dire situation, the crew of the Titan watches in awe as the countless "space babies" emerge from their tumultuous womb and take to the stars . The episode began with the characters at their most hopeless, and it ends with a reminder of why these nerdy space adventurers risk their well-being to seek out new life.

'Võx' Sent Star Trek: Picard Headlong Into Its Endgame

The penultimate episode brought back the borg and the uss enterprise-d.

The penultimate episode of Star Trek: Picard reveals the Borg's involvement in an insidious plot to assimilate Starfleet. The Changeling imposters used transporter trickery to rewrite the DNA of younger officers to effectively instantly assimilate them all when they receive an activation signal. This signal was destined to come from Jack Crusher, explaining his mysterious ability to enter the minds of some of the crew on the Titan. Yet, the big moment in this episode was the revelation that over the past decades, Geordi La Forge restored the USS Enterprise-D, after it was mostly destroyed in Star Trek: Generations .

The final moment of the episode put these iconic characters on that iconic bridge for one final adventure. In the series finale of The Next Generation , Jean-Luc Picard was diagnosed with "Irumodic Syndrome" a neurological affliction that killed him in Season 1. However, "Võx" reveals this was left behind by the Borg after Picard was assimilated and became Locutus. It was passed on to Jack , making him the vessel through which the nearly-decimated Borg could make one last attempt to assimilate Starfleet and, eventually, Earth.

'The Last Generation' Was the Perfect Sendoff for TNG's Crew

The episode said farewell to picard and company while kicking off the future.

The series finale of Star Trek: Picard is unsurprisingly the best ranked episode of the show. As the 12 Monkeys series finale proved , Terry Matalas knows how to end a story in a satisfying, uplifting way. The USS Enterprise-D goes back into action, flying through a gigantic Borg cube to destroy these villains once and for all . There's even an incredible shot when the gigantic Galaxy-Class vessel swoops in overhead to rescue Worf, Riker, Picard and Jack at the last moment. Meanwhile, Seven of Nine proves why she deserves to command the USS Enterprise-G, by retaking the ship from the Borg without killing one assimilated crewmember.

Still, for all the breathtakingly cinematic action, the true climax of the episode is an emotional one. Distant from people all his life, Jean-Luc Picard is willing to sacrifice himself by refusing to leave his son. Consumed by the Borg, Jack doesn't want to disconnect from the hive mind, and Picard simply says he'd stay with him, knowing his crew is certain to destroy them both. Star Trek endures not because of the ships or technology. Rather, it’s the familial relationships of the characters that allows it to remain fresh, even decades later, in the hearts of audiences .

The complete Star Trek: Picard is available to own on DVD, Blu-ray, digital and is available to stream on Paramount+ .

Star Trek: Picard

Retired Admiral Jean-Luc Picard is drawn back into action when a mysterious young woman seeks his help, triggering a journey that leads him to confront the ghosts of his past. As he assembles a new crew to uncover the truth behind a dangerous conspiracy, Picard navigates a galaxy that has changed significantly since his days aboard the Enterprise.

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Star Trek: Discovery is cracking open a box Next Gen closed on purpose

The USS Discovery is on a mad chase across the galaxy for one of Star Trek’s biggest secrets

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Calling back to a single 30-year-old episode of television is a time-honored Star Trek tradition , one that’s led the franchise to some of its most fascinating detours. And in its two-episode season premiere, Star Trek: Discovery seems to be kicking off an entire season calling back to one particular episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation .

And not just any episode! The 1993 installment of Next Gen in question delivered a revelation so seemingly earth-shaking that it should have rewritten galactic politics on a massive scale. But then, as was the way in the 1990s era of episodic TV, nobody ever mentioned it again.

At least until now.

[ Ed. note: This piece contains spoilers for the first two episodes of Star Trek: Discovery season 5.]

Writer Michelle Paradise and director Olatunde Osunsanmi lay out the connection at the end of the first of two episodes released this week, “Red Directive.” Discovery’s mission is to follow a series of ancient clues leading to a cache of ancient technology, and to get there before a couple of professional thieves, Moll (Eve Harlow) and L’ak (Elias Toufexis), do.

The technology, as Doctor Kovich (David Cronenberg) explains, belongs to the so-called Progenitors, a barely understood ancient spacefaring species that “created life as we know it […] every humanoid species in the galaxy.” Presumably such tech holds the key to understanding how the Progenitors did that, and how that power could be used again.

The Progenitors are from the Star Trek episode “The Chase”

Kovich also calls up a helpful video presentation of the moment the Progenitors were discovered by an assembled group of Federation, Klingon, Romulan, and Cardassian captains, including Jean-Luc Picard. But you don’t have to be a Star Trek lore nerd to know you’re actually just looking at clips from an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation .

Specifically, from the 20th episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation ’s sixth season, “The Chase,” in which Picard and crew discover pieces of a computer program hidden inside the DNA of species from dozens of different planets. Questions abound: What does the program do? And what kind of entity could have been so ancient and powerful that it had determined the genetic legacy of most of the known galaxy before sentient life had even evolved here — and then left no trace of its existence except the genetic codes themselves?

In a nutshell, the mysterious death of Captain Picard’s old archeology professor (did you know that if he hadn’t gone into Starfleet, Jean-Luc was studying to be a space archeologist? Well, now you do) sets the captain and the Enterprise on a search for the missing DNA fragments necessary to complete his unfinished work.

The action of the episode becomes a grand chase, as Klingon and Cardassian captains come to believe the program must be a great weapon or dangerous secret. Eventually Picard and his rivals all discover the lonely planet with the final DNA strain — and when they get there, some Romulans who’ve been secretly following all of them show up, too, just to make things even more tense.

In the end, the program isn’t a weapon or a secret, but a message from an ancient race of humanoids that apparently created sentient life in our galaxy as we know it.

Actor Salome Jens appears as a Progenitor hologram, and delivers a speech that’s stirring by any standard of Star Trek monologues, telling the story of a race of sentients that took to the stars and found them empty. They had evolved too early to meet other forms of sentient life, and knew that their time was too limited to ever expect to.

“We knew that one day we would be gone; that nothing of us would survive, so we left you,” Jens’ Progenitor explains. The Progenitors seeded humanoid life across the galaxy in their own image; life that tended to evolve into bipedal, tailless, largely hairless creatures with two eyes and two arms and five fingers on each hand. And they left clues in the genetic signature of their work, broken up among the stars.

Wait, was this really all about lampshading the limits of Star Trek’s alien design?

Kinda, yes! The writers of “The Chase,” Ron Moore and Joe Menosky, were inspired by elements of Carl Sagan’s Contact , but also by Menosky’s pet fascination creating an in-universe explanation for why all the common alien species in Star Trek are basically shaped like humans (albeit with latex on their faces).

In other hands, it would be hokey and trite, but even under heavy makeup, Jens sells the hell out of her single scene on voice and stance alone — it’s no wonder she was asked back to the Trek fold to play a major antagonist role in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .

“It was our hope that you would have to come together in fellowship and companionship to hear this message, and if you can see and hear me, our hope has been fulfilled,” the Progenitor hologram concludes, with gentle compassion. “You are a monument, not to our greatness, but to our existence. That was our wish: That you, too, would know life. [...] There is something of us in each of you, and so something of you in each other.”

But though “The Chase” carried a sweeping revelation, nothing ever really panned out from it. You’d think that a message of togetherness that fundamentally rewrote the origin of life in the universe would have to have tweaked Star Trek’s galactic politics a bit, right? Seems like this would give the Star Trek setting a radically different understanding of the origins of life than we have in the real world — this is literally intelligent design! At the very least there’d be some other characters talking about how humans and Vulcans, Klingons and Romulans and Ferengi and Cardassians and Trill and Bajorans, all share the same genetic ancestor.

But nope: The Pandora’s box of Progenitor lore remained closed. Gene Roddenberry’s successor and Trek producer Rick Berman seems to have been disenchanted with the episode’s reveal — and you can’t really blame him for not wanting to rock the whole cosmology of Star Trek in an episode that’s mostly about explaining how if you turn the DNA snippets like this they make a cool spiral. Now look at this computer screen with the spiral :

Except now, Star Trek: Discovery is opening the box and rocking the boat. This new mad, puzzle-box chase around the galaxy promises to expand on the Progenitors, an idea so big that not even The Next Generation was willing to touch it. It’s a tall order, but Discovery has never been more free to shake up Star Trek continuity than it is right now — we’ll have to wait for more episodes of the show’s final season to find out how free it intends to be.

Star Trek: Discovery tore itself apart for the good of Star Trek’s future

Star trek: discovery boldly goes where no trek has gone before by saying religion is... ok, actually, star trek: discovery is finally free to do whatever it wants, loading comments....

Star Trek: Trill

• View history
• 2.1 Creators
• 2.2 Cover gallery
• 3 External link

Summary [ ]

Background information [ ], creators [ ].

• Jody Houser
• Hendry Prasetya (interior and cover A)
• Alexandra Beguez (retail incentive cover)
• DC Alonso (color)
• Heather Antos (Senior Editor)
• Vanessa Real (Editorial Assistant)

Cover gallery [ ]

External link [ ]

• Star Trek: Trill at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works

A Legal Problem Forced Star Trek: Voyager To Change Captain Janeway's Name

F ew fictional characters conjure up as strong a mental image with just a mention of their name as the captains of the beloved "Star Trek" universe . Mention the word "Picard," and it's impossible not to think of Patrick Stewart's cerebral, near-Shakespearean leader , who oversaw years' worth of chaos and adventure in "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and its sequel series. The name "Captain Kirk" conjures up images of William Shatner in full hammy hero mode, sitting in his captain's chair or in the middle of the action — wearing an artfully torn uniform.

Every "Trek" captain conjures up these strong associations, but "Star Trek: Voyager" nearly ran into a problem with its captain's name when it turned out the original option was already taken. According to the book "Captains' Logs Supplemental" by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman, which was published during that show's '90s run, Kathryn Janeway almost had a different name: Elizabeth. Before the series was shot or the main role cast, the commander of the U.S.S. Voyager was initially called Elizabeth Janeway, but that plan ran into a snag when someone realized it was the same name as a famous real-life feminist author and critic.

Read more: Why Khan Noonien Singh Casts A Shadow Over The Entire Star Trek Universe

The Character's Original First Name Was Already Taken By A Feminist Author

"There is a prominent Elizabeth Janeway, and we're not allowed to use names of prominent people because it can be sticky," longtime "Trek" writer and eventual "Star Trek: Voyager" showrunner Jeri Taylor said in an interview. The real Elizabeth Janeway would've been a great inspiration for a strong character like the one Kate Mulgrew would end up playing: in the 20th century, she penned several novels and books about second wave feminism and the lives of women, and also aided in major movements of the time including a 1940s General Motors strike and the fight for abortion rights. According to The Guardian , Janeway was a friend of prominent feminists like Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan, and she also served as president of the Authors Guild, where she fought to protect the work of writers.

Janeway died in 2005, but according to Taylor, she may have heard through the grapevine about the "Trek" character who almost had her name. "We heard sort of secondhand that Elizabeth Janeway was flattered about it," Taylor shared at the time. After the "Trek" team decided to change the name to avoid any legal snafus, Kathryn wasn't actually their second pick. That was Nicole, a name chosen by actress Genevieve Bujold, who played Janeway for just two days before apparently quitting the show. "A Federation vessel is lost in space at the edge of the galaxy, without its captain, who has abruptly abandoned ship," a New York Times piece said at the time.

Janeway Was Also Nearly Called Nicole

According to Taylor, the name "changed again to Nicole at Genevieve Bujold's request, because that is in fact her given name and she wanted that." That change didn't last; Bujold left the show after two days of filming, with Gross and Altman's book citing two different reasons for her departure. While the authors note that the official reason for her exit was due to her discomfort with "the rigors of episodic television" (Bujold was a film actress first and foremost, starring in movies like "Dead Ringers" and "Anne of A Thousand Days"), another source from the show called her dailies "terrible." Either way, the name Nicole went out the door with Bujold.

"For two days it was Nicole Janeway and then when Kate came on board, it was Kathryn," Taylor said, though she noted that writers didn't actually pick that name with Mulgrew in mind. "In fact, [Kathryn was] the name we'd already chosen even before Kate was cast in the role," she explained. It's probably a good thing that Janeway ended up with the name she did; "Voyager" remains one of the most underrated "Trek" shows to date, and as it aired during the early internet age, it would've been tough for fans to talk about her online without plenty of search term confusion. Plus, I just can't picture latter-season Janeway letting anyone call her "Liz."

Read the original article on SlashFilm

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Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 + complete series box set arrives on Blu-ray & DVD in August

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Star Trek franchise recognized with Peabody Award

Cast and crew from across the Star Trek franchise joined head honcho Alex Kurtzman on June 9 as Star Trek was awarded the Peabody Institutional Award , a powerful recognition of the franchise’s long-time positive influence in media.

The Peabody Institutional Award recognizes an organization or long-running television program that has made an indelible mark on the American broadcasting landscape. As Star Trek ’s award write-up explains:

“As the latest versions of Star Trek invite in a new generation of viewers, the interstellar travelers still encounter danger and difficulty, of course. But the Starfleet crew always comes out on top— and without sacrificing essential values that seem quintessentially human: valor, self-sacrifice, curiosity, compassion, broadmindedness… For its enduring dedication to storytelling that projects the best of humanity into the distant future, the Star Trek franchise is honored with the Peabody Institutional Award.”

In a neat full-circle moment, Kurtzman, who accepted the award on behalf of the franchise, recognized Bjo Trimble , the fan in attendance who launched a successful letter-writing campaign to bring Star Trek back to air after it was canceled in 1968.

Alex Kurtzman was joined on stage by the following cast members and executive producers: Patrick Stewart , LeVar Burton , Scott Bakula , Jeri Ryan , Anson Mount , Rebecca Romijn , Ethan Peck , Wilson Cruz , Doug Jones , Tawny Newsome , Sam Richardson , Akiva Goldsman , Henry Alonso Myers ,  Michelle Paradise , Olatunde Osunsanmi , Noga Landau , Jenny Lumet and Trevor Roth .

You can watch Kurtzman’s speech along with some of Patrick Stewart’s remarks here .

Peabody Awards, which have been sought-after accolades since 1941, honor “excellence in storytelling that reflects the social issues and emerging voices of our day,” according to the organization’s website .

Stay tuned to TrekNews.net for all the latest news on Star Trek: Discovery , Star Trek: Prodigy , Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , Star Trek: Lower Decks , and more.

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Kyle Hadyniak has been a lifelong Star Trek fan, and isn't ashamed to admit that Star Trek V: The Final Frontier and Star Trek: Nemesis are his favorite Star Trek movies. You can follow Kyle on Twitter @khady93 .

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