uhura star trek rank

Star Trek Glossary: Every Starfleet Rank And Job Explained

"Star Trek" is, first and foremost, a workplace drama . It just so happens that the workplace is a high-tech, faster-than-light space vessel exploring distant regions of the galaxy. Working on a starship is a fine job indeed. Many classic "Star Trek" episodes deal with rank, the chain of command, and how certain captains employ their unique managerial styles to inspire the officers beneath them. The main characters in "Star Trek" mostly all belong to Starfleet, a military-like organization that uses naval ranks and nautical vocabulary to describe a starship's operations. 

To give the shows a touch of realism, the makers of "Star Trek" have (mostly) been careful to point out that a starship is a massively complex machine that requires hundreds of people to operate correctly. Additionally, the day-to-day logistics of running a starship require departments within departments, each one run by its own miniature team of officers, and with each team making sure that every small piece of equipment is operating at peak efficiency. Ideally, a starship can't be flown by a single person or even a scant bridge crew (I will happily ignore, however, the times that it was; those times don't count). 

Trekkies take a great deal of delight in tracing and detailing the various ranks and departments on board an average Starfleet vessel, mostly because it makes it easier to imagine actually working there someday. Yes, we know it's fictional, but so much detail had gone into rank, operation, and propriety on "Star Trek" that many viewers can picture where they might be able to practically work, what their rank might be, and whom they would answer to. 

For the laypeople reading, however, here is a brief rundown on the ranks, jobs, and positions one might encounter in "Star Trek."

The Starfleet ranks calling the shots

Here is the central chain of command withing Starfleet, listed from top to bottom.

At the top of Starfleet are the admirals. Admirals typically serve in official positions and don't usually command starships. They are essentially the management that starship captains have to report back to. The head of Starfleet — Commander in Chief — bears the top rank of Fleet Admiral . 

Below Fleet Admirals are just regular Admirals , which are plentiful in "Star Trek." 

Vice Admirals serve below them (the officer picture above bears the rank pips of a Vice Admiral), followed by Rear Admirals . 

A lesson: don't trust Admirals .

We don't see too many Commodores on "Star Trek," but they are the rank in between Captain and Admiral. 

Below the Commodores are Captains , who, as we all know, tend to command starships. The Captains can give orders to any officers on their ship. Captains tend to be the central characters of "Star Trek" shows, so we already know James T. Kirk, Jean-Luc Picard, Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula), and, most recently Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) on "Strange New Worlds."

Directly below the Captains are Commanders . A ship's first officer is a Commander, as are a few other key figures on a ship like a Chief Medical Officer or a Counselor. Riker (Jonathan Frakes) and Spock (Leonard Nimoy) are Commanders.

Immediately below the Commanders are Lieutenant Commanders , who also tend to serve notable executive functions on a starship. People of lower ranks can indeed become members of a ship's senior staff (the "main" officers on a ship that spend the most amount of time on the bridge), but Lieutenant Commanders tend to be the lowest-ranking officers who still command their own departments on a ship.

The Starfleet ranks taking the orders

One might note that Starfleet officers wear color-coded uniforms. The colors represent the general departments in which they work. In the original series, officers on the command track wore gold uniforms, medical officers and science officers wore blue, and red was reserved for those who worked in engineering, security, or operations. In the era of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," red and gold uniforms switched .

There must, of course, be grunt workers and mid-managers below the department heads listed above, and that's where the lower-ranking, junior officers come in. 

Mere Lieutenants are immediately below Lieutenant Commanders. They may lead special projects or work on the bridge, but they take more orders than they give. 

Below them are officers ranked Lieutenant (Junior Grade) , followed by  Ensigns . To become a Starfleet officer, one must spend at least four years at Starfleet Academy. Graduates are typically promoted to the rank of Ensign and given their first assignments immediately. "Star Trek: Lower Decks" is all about Ensigns and Junior Grade Lieutenants like Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) and Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome).

Not every officer on a ship graduates from the Academy, however. One can enlist in Starfleet and become a Petty Officer. These people have their own subset of operational concerns, usually zeroed in on specific areas of the ship like the transporters, food services, or basic security. 

The Petty Officers have their own ranking system, starting — highest first — with Master Chief , then Senior Chief , followed by Chief , then Petty Officer First Class , and finally Petty Officer Second Class . Yeomans are petty officers who take care of paperwork for officers. Chief Miles O'Brien (Colm Meany) was a transporter expert. 

Other specialists — historians, botanists, etc. — can be Petty Officers. 

Back at Starfleet Academy, meanwhile, Cadets have their own ranking by year. Freshmen are 4th Class , sophomores are 3rd Class , juniors are 2nd Class , and seniors are 1st Class . For a large portion of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) was a cadet. This was after he already held a position as Acting Ensign , a provisional rank given in the field.

Starfleet Command and Bridge positions

One might have noticed watching the original "Star Trek" that Lieutenant Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) always sits at the same station on the bridge of the Enterprise, as does Sulu (George Takei), Chekov (Walter Koenig) , and Spock (Leonard Nimoy). This is because they have been assigned one of the many official bridge positions on a Starfleet vessel. The positions must be filled, regardless of an officer's rank. 

The Commanding Officer on a starship is usually the captain. The (non-capitalist) buck stops with them. 

Answering directly to the captain, and communicating most directly with the crew is the Executive Officer or the First Officer, usually bearing the rank of commander. 

Third in command is the Second Officer , who can also hold other operational positions; on "Star Trek: Voyager," for instance, Tuvok (Tim Russ) serves as both Second Officer and Security Chief. 

Sitting in front of the captain and piloting the ship are the Helmsman at conn to the captain's right and the Operations Officer at Ops to the captain's left. 

The Helmsman may also be officially the ship's Navigation Officer , an expert in spatial physics and stellar cartography. Expert pilots likely sit at the conn, but also may be selected to pilot smaller, supporting crafts like shuttles or runabouts. These officers are sometimes appointed the Chief of Flight Control . Example: Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill) on "Voyager."

In charge of hailing vessels, translating, and sending coded messages is the Communications Officer . On the original series, Uhura was a dedicated Communications Officer, while on "Next Generation" and beyond, other officers took on communications as part of their jobs. Worf (Michael Dorn) served as both Communications Officer and Security Chief.

Starfleet Science and Medical positions

Most Starfleet vessels are devoted to research and explorations, and there are multiple departments — and corresponding commanding officers — tasked with overseeing the details. 

A ship's Science Officer is in charge of research and serves as coordinator of all the ship's specialized science fields. Science Officers must have a head for numbers and objective detail. On the original "Star Trek," Spock served as the Science Officer and the Executive Officer. On "Voyager," Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) served as a Science Officer, and she only held the rank of Master Chief Petty Officer. 

A ship's Chief Operations Officer is like the Science Officer but oversees the technical aspects of the ship, including engineering, the engines, the life support, and other vital systems. Like the Science Officer, it helps that the Chief Ops Officer has a mind for technical details. On "Next Generation," Data served as Chief of Ops and worked closely with the Chief Engineer (which we'll get to in a minute).

Also, because a ship is full of biological organisms, it's important that their health be maintained. Every ship has a medical department overseen by an indispensable Chief Medical Officer , the only officer on the ship who can give orders to the Captain. Each medical department also has a network of experts and nurses, including the Head Nurse like Nurse Chapel (Jess Bush) on "Strange New Worlds" or Nurse Ogawa (Patti Yasutake) on "Next Generation." There may sometimes be a Head of Surgery , or perhaps a dedicated pathologist or epidemiologist. For the most part, though, the Chief Medical Officer takes care of many of these things themselves.

Starfleet Security and Combat Positions

Starfleet vessels are dedicated to peace, diplomacy, and study, but there are still violent, antagonistic species in the galaxy, and Starfleet isn't always on the best terms with them. As such, each Starfleet vessel requires experts in on-ship security, ship-to-ship tactics, and weapons operations. 

Every ship will have a Chief of Security , responsible for confronting intruders, enforcing the on-ship laws, and perhaps throwing ruffians into the ship's brig. The Chief Security Officer often also serves as the Strategic Operations Officer , who sits at the tactical position and fires weapons at the captain's command. Worf and Tuvok were in charge of these positions on their respective shows. They tend to go on the most away missions, keeping the other officers safe. They are the only officers on the ship who are always armed. Odo (René Auberjonois) served as chief of security on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," but he wasn't a Starfleet officer. He worked for the Bajoran government, and they implemented a different military system altogether.

As mentioned above, basic security officers are not Starfleet Academy graduates, and typically serve as Petty Officers, answering only to the Chief of Security. 

Starfleet Engineering and Technology Positions

As mentioned above, the Chief Operations Officer coordinates the technical aspects of the ship, but the hands-on officer in charge of a starship's massive engine room is the Chief Engineer , the one who actually makes repairs and oversees all of the other repairmen. No ship can function without a Chief Engineer overseeing all of the other engineers on the ship, busily readjusting and calibrating the physical machinery used to make the Enterprise go. 

The Chief Engineer might oversee technical experts, such as Warp Engineers (who oversee the faster-than-light engines), Impulse Engineers (who oversee the sub-light engines), those who oversee shields, transporters, electrics, life support, food replicators, lighting, gravity, or just about anything with a technical component. Thanks to "Next Generation," Trekkies know all about a dedicated Transporter Chief . There will also be an officer dedicated to Environmental Controls (especially important if your ship hosts species from hotter or colder worlds than Earth), and one devoted to Computer Operations , which might be the "Star Trek" equivalent of the I.T. repair guy. Heck, one might even find an engineer devoted to Holography systems, an expert in repairing holodecks. 

"Star Trek" doesn't feature a lot of tool belts, but if it did, the Engineering department would wear them. 

Kudos to LeVar Burton, who played Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge on "Next Generation." More than any other actor, he needed to memorize Trek's well-worn, multisyllabic techno-jargon. He talked a lot about warp fields, phase coils, plasma inducers, dilithium crystals, and every other high-tech widget on the Enterprise. And of course, everyone loved Scotty (James Doohan) from the original series.

Other Starfleet Positions

All the above departments are devoted to the vital function of a Starfleet vessel and the health of a vessel's crew. There are also various ancillary positions on a ship devoted to either comfort or just basic organization.

In the days before replicators , Starfleet vessels required  Quartermasters or Supply Operations Officers to distribute physical objects to the crew. The Quartermasters would distribute emergency rations, spare uniforms, tricorders, and medical widgets. These would be the ones holding the stock clipboards. Despite "Star Trek" taking place in a technical utopia free of want, there are still only so many scanners and tricorders that can go around. Starships also require dedicated officers to oversee the cargo bays where shuttles and extra supplies are stored, hence a head of  Cargo Operations . 

Being the Waste Management Officer on a starship isn't too terrible, although one does have to clean out the poop filters occasionally. The poop is then salvaged, broken down, and converted into energy. That energy is used in a ship's food replicators. Yes, Starfleet officers eat their own poop . On "Lower Decks," Mariner is seen cleaning the waste filters out of the holodeck on the U.S.S. Cerritos. It's a gross job.

Not every ship has a specialized department for every situation, so other specialists may be called in as needed. During times of war or combat, for instance, a ship may be assigned an Intelligence Officer . This depends on the ship's current mission, of course. For diplomatic envoys, a ship may also be assigned a general Special Services officer to make sure negotiators and treaty signers are comfortable.

And, perhaps most importantly, many ships have a Counselor . On "Next Generation," Counselor Troi (Marina Sirtis) sits right on the bridge. On other ships, they have their own offices. They take care of a crew's overall mental health, serve as para-diplomats, and work with the Chief Medical Officer.

Which job would you want?

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Nyota Uhura

• 1.1 Early life
• 1.2 Starfleet Academy
• 1.3.1 First post
• 1.3.2 Aboard the Ahriman and Potemkin
• 1.3.3 Aboard the Enterprise (NCC-1701)
• 1.3.4 Return to Earth and the second five year mission
• 1.3.5 Assignment to the Excelsior
• 1.3.6.1 Mission to the Quatrin system
• 1.4 After the Enterprise
• 1.5 Starfleet Intelligence
• 1.6.1.1 Kimara Cretak
• 1.6.1.2 Scott Heisenberg
• 1.6.1.3 Curzon Dax
• 2 Starfleet service record
• 3.1 Connections
• 3.2 External link
• 3.3 Appearances

Biography [ ]

Early life [ ].

Nyota Uhura was born in the year 2239 in the United States of Africa on Earth . ( ST reference : Star Trek Chronology )

The daughter of Alhamisi and M'Umbha Uhura , she was born in Kitui Province , Kenya . Her family's name is derived from the Swahili word Uhuru , which translates to "freedom", and her given name means "star". ( TOS episodes : " Is There in Truth No Beauty? ", " The Man Trap "; TOS novels : The Starless World , Uhura's Song ; TAS novelization : The Slaver Weapon )

As a child, Uhura lived with her parents in the coastal city of Mombasa where she was enrolled in several after-school classes, such as music and dance , swimming , gymnastics and languages . Once a year just after her birthday in January , she stayed for a month in the country with her grandparents and cousins. ( TLE novel : Catalyst of Sorrows )

At some time in her childhood, Uhura attended Public School 29 in Nairobi , where her teacher was Ms. Yemada . ( TOS novel : Vulcan's Forge )

In the summer of 2249 , at the age of 10, Uhura learned sign language from her deaf cousin, Epala , while visiting her in Koyo . ( TOS novel : The Disinherited )

Also in 2249, Uhura was a student at the Institute for Advanced Mathematics , where her roommate was a girl named T'iana . There was a fire in their dorm room and T'iana was trapped under a fallen beam, and Uhura was lit ablaze. Uhura was unable to save T'iana before succumbing to the effects of the heat and fire. For years afterwards, Uhura would have dreams about T'iana's death and Uhura's subsequent rescue by adults. The fear recurred most vividly in 2269 when Uhura was part of the Enterprise crew facing a deadly heat effect that began in the Beta Castelli star system . ( TOS novel : The Three-Minute Universe )

In 2255 , just after her 16th birthday, Uhura traditionally killed an automated lion with a spear in East Africa. ( TAS novelization : The Slaver Weapon )

Shortly before Uhura entered the Academy, her father, Alhamisi, disappeared while on a deep space mission. ( TOS novel : The Starless World )

Her parents were teachers at the University of Nairobi . They and Nyota's brother were both killed in a shuttle accident. ( SNW episode : " Children of the Comet ")

Starfleet Academy [ ]

Uhura entered Starfleet Academy in 2257 ( Star Trek Chronology ), and studied at the Starfleet College of Communications . There, she learned spatial navigation, Duotronics , and cryptography skills under Lieutenant Commander Benjamin Finney . [ citation needed ]

Cadet Uhura.

Uhura's time as a cadet crossed over with the Academy career of James T. Kirk . When the Academy campus was locked down with an accusation of misconduct by Captain Matthew Decker , Uhura agreed to break curfew with Kirk and a group of other cadets to investigate the problem. They discovered that Decker's accusation was false, and had been planted in the computer as a test to see how the cadets would perform under pressure. Decker later congratulated the class for working together to prove their innocence, without fighting amongst themselves. ( TOS comic : " Starfleet Academy! ")

Cadet Uhura's roommate at the Academy was an Orion girl. The Orion girl's attitude did not impress Uhura, who later said the Orion was "full of it". Uhura remembered this quality of Orion women when she was involved in a fight with the Orion Emerald Empress in an alternate reality . ( TOS - Legion of Super-Heroes comic : " Issue 3 ")

Uhura's dear friend Trent Ojuremi failed to enter the Academy, and Uhura lost contact with him by her second year. However, she subconsciously retained her strong affections for him, which in 2266 were sensed by the M-113 creature . It thus took on a telepathic form of him and communicated in Swahili, telling her that it could feel her missing his presence. ( TOS novel : Across the Universe ; TOS episode : " The Man Trap ")

In 2259 , Uhura won the Jovian Triathlon . ( TOS novel : Assignment: Eternity )

She graduated from the academy in 2261 . ( ST website : StarTrek.com )

Starfleet career [ ]

First post [ ].

Uhura's first command was at a location called Two Dawns . Here she met a Junior Diplomat from Eeiauo named Sunfall of Ennien . ( TOS novel : Uhura's Song )

Aboard the Ahriman and Potemkin [ ]

Uhura graduated from the Academy in 2261 and was assigned to the Saladin -class destroyer , USS Ahriman , as junior communications officer. While on a mission to Wynet V later that year, the Ahriman s commanding officer was killed. Shortly after, Uhura was promoted to lieutenant junior grade . ( TOS novel : The Tears of the Singers )

Shortly after, Lieutenant Uhura transferred to the Constitution -class USS Potemkin as junior communications officer. ( ST video game : Star Trek: Starship Creator )

Aboard the Enterprise (NCC-1701) [ ]

Uhura transferred aboard the USS Enterprise in 2262 as Chief Communications Officer, under the command of Captain Christopher Pike . Like the rest of the Enterprise crew at that time, she developed fierce loyalty for Captain Pike. So, when James T. Kirk assumed command in 2264 , she was unsure about the young captain. A skilled singer, she sometimes performed music and improv with Lieutenant j.g. Spock (a skilled lyre player) on the crew rec deck. Six years later, in 2270 , Lieutenant Arex , a harpist, joined. One of Uhura's favorite songs was "The Moon's a Window to Heaven". ( TOS novel : Enterprise: The First Adventure , TAS episode : " The Practical Joker ", TOS movie : Star Trek V: The Final Frontier , TOS episode : " Charlie X "; WizKids module : Attack Wing )

Nevertheless, Uhura's first conversation with Kirk saw him praise her father and express regret over his loss, thus earning Uhura's respect. ( TOS novel : The Starless World )

According to the elder Spock in TOS novelization : Star Trek , "In both our histories the same crew found its way onto the same ship in a time of ultimate crisis." This may imply that there is an untold story set in the prime timeline in which Kirk's crew faced an extremely serious challenge while still a new and untested unit.

Following the three-month voyage around the Federation Phalanx in 2264, Uhura was temporarily re-assigned, leaving Lt. Commander Daniel Alden to assume her former post. She returned to the Enterprise in 2265 when Alden transferred off the ship. This period just before the exchange of duties saw her relationship with Kabaka Buganda . ( TOS novel : Enterprise , TOS comic : " The D'Artagnan Three ")

In her first assignment back aboard the Enterprise , Uhura commandeered a shuttlecraft so that she could rescue Captain Kirk and a landing party from a group of Klingons that had captured them. It was around this occasion her department colors switched from gold to red. ( TOS comic : " Uhura's Story ") Uhura also helped adjust the Universal translator during the initial First contact with the Archernarians of Archernar IV just before she, Capts. Kirk, Cassady , and an away team appeared before them. ( TOS comic : " Mission's End, Issue 1 ")

Shortly after the Enterprise 's first encounter with Harcourt Fenton Mudd , Uhura went to Captain Kirk and requested to be reassigned from the command division to the engineering and services division. Kirk was not happy with this decision and grilled her about throwing away her command abilities and leadership potential, however, despite his disappointment, he approved her transfer. ( TOS novel : The Fire and the Rose )

Later that year, following the Romulan attack on the Neutral Zone outposts, she was promoted to full Lieutenant , after she deciphered the Romulan micropulse code . ( TOS novelization : Balance of Terror )

The start of 2267 marked Uhura's stint on Enterprise with being complimented as a Nubian (of ancient Egypt ) by the Q called Trelane . ( TOS episode : " The Squire of Gothos ") Weeks afterwards, she was temporarily re-assigned to the USS Lexington , under the command of Commodore Robert Wesley , to aid with communications with an alien race from the Gamma Xaridian system . ( TOS novel : The Disinherited )

Later on in 2267, Uhura was reunited with Trent Ojuremi on the planet Merope IV , when the Enterprise transported survivors from the Stephen Hawking to the planet. ( TOS novel : Across the Universe ) Towards the end of this year, Uhura's memory was erased, by the Nomad / Tan-Ru probe. A natural fast learner, she was re-educated from her mother-tongue of Bantu Swahili back to English . ( TOS episode : " The Changeling ")

In 2268 , Uhura was instrumental in finding a cure for the ADF syndrome that had struck the planet Eeiauo . Remembering songs that she and an Eeiauoan friend sang at the Academy, she directed the Enterprise to the planet Sivao , which was the long-forgotten homeworld of the Eeiauoans. ( TOS novel : Uhura's Song )

The culmination of her trust and respect for Kirk over the past half decade surfaced when she admitted to him how the sound of his voice calmed her in times of shipboard crisis. ( TOS episode : " Plato's Stepchildren ", TOS novel : Ex Machina ) Though it was never made public, the two may have shared a relationship on the border between professional and intimate. An example of this is when Kirk was quick to defend her, while she was assaulted by a thrall on Triskelion . ( TOS episode : " The Gamesters of Triskelion ") One of her lesser-known (and quite embarrassing) moments was her inadvertently seeing Kirk's "birthday suit". This happened, of course, while she made a special errand to Kirk's quarters on March 22nd. ( TOS short story : " Surprise! ")

Uhura finally got a shot at command in 2269 . After all of the male Enterprise crewmembers were lured down to Taurus II by the enchanting women on the planet, Uhura was forced to assume command. ( TAS novelization : The Lorelei Signal ) She assumed command once again during the ship's conflict with the Crusaders on Ephrata IV when Kirk, Spock and Sulu were trapped on the planet and Scotty was seriously injured in an attack, leaving Uhura the highest-ranking bridge officer. Despite her initial fears, Uhura not only won a game of 'chicken' with Crusader Sokis when he threatened to use a gravity beam to make the Enterprise crash into the planet (Correctly deducing that Sokis needed Enterprise too much to actually destroy it), but was able to devise a plan to defeat the Crusaders' brainwashing. ( TOS novel : The Weight of Worlds )

Return to Earth and the second five year mission [ ]

When the Enterprise returned to Earth in 2270 , following the completion of the five-year mission , Uhura took a post at Starfleet Academy teaching special communications. ( TOS novels : The Lost Years , Traitor Winds )

In 2271 , Uhura was promoted to Lieutenant Commander and re-assigned to the newly-refitted Enterprise as chief communications officer. She also used an updated version of linguacode , first ciphered by Hoshi Sato , in the 22nd Century. ( TOS movie , novelization & comic adaptation : The Motion Picture , ST website : StarTrek.com )

Uhura was assigned to cadet training and Starfleet Command Communications in 2277 . ( ST website : StarTrek.com )

In 2285 , Uhura was promoted to full Commander . Later that same year, she received much criticism for choosing a posting at Earth spacedock 's transporter room and communication ops. Her eager assistant, " Mr. Adventure " was one to question her choice, which had appealed to her desire for more "peace and quiet" after the recent events of the Genesis affair. This may have been her first calling to covert operations, as this was all a stage to grant Admiral Kirk's party safe passage back to the de-commissioned Enterprise . She later made rendezvous with them on Vulcan , having used the transporter system to travel to the Vulcan Embassy on Earth. At the behest of Ambassador Sarek , they were all granted clemency and asylum from Starfleet jurisdiction for rescuing his son Spock from a non-sanctioned Klingon incursion to the Genesis planet, a galactic controversy of its time. ( ST website : StarTrek.com , TOS movie , novelization & comic adaptation : The Search for Spock )

Assignment to the Excelsior [ ]

Following the destruction of the Enterprise in 2285 , Captain Kirk and the command staff are reassigned to the USS Excelsior , Uhura joins them and is assigned as Chief Communications Officer. ( TOS comic : " Masquerade! ")

Shortly after, Uhura accompanies Sulu and Lt. William Bearclaw to investigate the smuggling of dilithium crystals . The party discovered that the smugglers were also slavers, and managed to engineer the smugglers capture. ( TOS comic : " The D'Artagnan Three ")

Assignment to the Enterprise (NCC-1701-A) [ ]

Following the Cetacean Probe crisis on 2286 , Commander Uhura was assigned to the newly-launched USS Enterprise -A . ( TOS novelization : Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home )

Later that year, Uhura joined with the renegade Vulcan Sybok , when he took over the Enterprise and used the ship to penetrate the Great Barrier , to find the legendary planet Sha Ka Ree . It was at this time she confessed her affections toward Montgomery Scott , while the two were alone. Even though her emotions were uninhibited on this occasion, he kept composed and decided to maintain a Platonic relationship. Scott, however, had told her she was one of the most understanding women (besides Enterprise ) he had known. ( TOS movie , novelization & comic adaptation : The Final Frontier )

Mission to the Quatrin system [ ]

In 2287 , while on shore leave in the Quatrain system , Uhura and Sulu witnessed a multiple murder. Fortunately, one of the victims survived and was beamed aboard the Enterprise for treatment. The Quatrain security agency began to investigate the murders and insisted that Uhura and Sulu appear before a board of inquiry to give evidence.

Meanwhile, the Quatrain security director learned that the survivor identified one of his men as the murderer to Captain Kirk, and ordered his second-in-command to kill Uhura and Sulu before they could beam back to the Enterprise . Sulu managed to stop the killer, but was wounded in the attempt, and Uhura managed to steal a shuttlecraft and headed to the nearby ice planet, Beta , with Sulu.

After arriving on Beta, Uhura headed off to find medical help for Sulu, and encountered a group of Betan rebels who lent assistance and treated Sulu, in exchange for Uhura's help with their communications equipment. At the Betan encampment, Uhura was captured by the security forces, but managed to get a message to the Enterprise and Commander Chekov and a security team rescued her. ( TOS comics : " Veritas ", " Sacrifices and Survivors ", " Danger...On Ice ", " Cold Comfort ")

After the Enterprise [ ]

Following the Praxis incident in 2293 , Uhura once again began teaching at Starfleet Academy. A few months later Uhura joined Captain Spock and Dr. McCoy on a diplomatic mission to Qo'noS to improve relations, and began working with Klingon musicians and singers to exchange musical ideas and theories. ( TOS novel : The Last Roundup )

Also in 2293 , Uhura left Starfleet and became the Senior Vice President in charge of Procurement and Delivery for Inter-Galactic Systems . She was happily stationed somewhere between Earth and Mars when James T. Kirk enlisted her to help save Hikaru Sulu . She had no future intention of re-joining Starfleet . She even went so far as to state that the only reason she joined the rescue party was out of loyalty to James T. Kirk . ( TOS novel : The Fearful Summons )

In 2294 , Captain Spock assumed command of the Oberth -class USS Intrepid II , and Commander Uhura came aboard as first officer , for the ship's shakedown cruise. Following the diversion to the planet Obsidian , Spock resigned his Starfleet commission, and Uhura was promoted to captain and given command of the Intrepid II . ( TOS novel : Vulcan's Forge )

At some point afterwards that year, Uhura tracked down her former crewmate, Montgomery Scott, and asked him gently to move on with life and quit blaming himself following the loss of Captain Kirk, and expressed her condolences and her regret at being unable to make it to the memorial. ( ST novel : Engines of Destiny )

In the early 24th century , Uhura commanded the USS Leondegrance . ( PIC episodes : " Remembrance ", " The Star Gazer ", DS9 novel : The Autobiography of Benjamin Sisko )

By the 2300s , Captain Uhura was in command of the USS Hermes , and in 2310 , the Hermes took aboard Doctors Gillian Taylor and Carol Marcus , who planned to test an experimental Genesis Device on the planet Pacifica . However, Marcus and Taylor encountered intelligent life in Pacifica's ocean and the plan was abandoned. ( TOS short story : " The Hero of My Own Life ")

Starfleet Intelligence [ ]

Admiral Uhura.

Uhura was first approached by operatives of Starfleet Intelligence on Khitomer following the attempted assassination of Federation President Ra-ghoratreii in 2293 . They offered her a spot in S.I., which Uhura accepted.

For the rest of her Starship career, even when she commanded the Hermes , she was passing on things that she heard on to Starfleet Intelligence. She never spied on Starfleet personnel, only passing on information that she heard on the subspace frequencies. ( TLE novel : Catalyst of Sorrows )

In the years that followed Uhura gradually made her way up the chain of command at Starfleet Intelligence, eventually making her way to the top of the department. She maintained the rank of captain, in part to retain a low profile, but had security clearances higher than some admirals.

In the year 2343 , Captain Uhura traveled to Starbase 47 in the midst of the Betreka Nebula Incident to personally assign operative Elias Vaughn to assess the situation on Raknal IV . ( TLE novel : The Art of the Impossible )

In 2344 , Uhura made an unofficial request to Commander Saavik of the USS Armstrong to travel to Romulus and bring back Spock , who had answered a summons sent by a Romulan officer named Charvanek . ( TOS novel : Vulcan's Heart )

In 2360 , Admiral Uhura sent a team that included Lieutenants Benjamin Sisko , Selar and Tuvok on a covert mission behind the borders of the Romulan Star Empire to gather intelligence on the virulent disease called the gnawing that had been afflicting the Empire. ( TLE novel : Catalyst of Sorrows )

Admiral Uhura remained working in Starfleet Intelligence throughout the Dominion War and the Watraii affair of 2377 . As of 2377, she is 138 years old. ( TOS novels : Exodus , Exiles )

Personal life [ ]

In 2360 , Uhura lived alone in a house built into a hillside overlooking the Muir Woods in California on Earth . ( TLE novel : Catalyst of Sorrows )

Friendships and relationships [ ]

Kimara cretak [ ].

Uhura met Kimara Cretak at the Khitomer Conference in 2293 when the Romulan was serving as an aide to Senator Pardek . Although they never met face-to-face again, they kept in touch via specially coded subspace signals . ( TLE novel : Catalyst of Sorrows )

Scott Heisenberg [ ]

Lieutenant junior grade Scott Heisenberg was unceremoniously locked in a closet at phaser-point in the Old City Station transporter room by Uhura in 2285 . Months later in 2286 , Uhura ran into Heisenberg at Starfleet Headquarters where he admitted to her that it wasn't the phaser she'd pointed at him that scared him, but rather the look she gave him after he called her a "space veteran" and remarked that "her career was winding down". Despite this rather rocky start, the two became friends and Heisenberg ended up working for Uhura in Starfleet Intelligence . ( TLE novel : Catalyst of Sorrows )

Curzon Dax [ ]

By 2360 , Uhura and Curzon Dax were very good friends. In fact, Curzon wanted a little more than just friendship and actively flirted with Uhura, mostly to no avail. ( TLE novel : Catalyst of Sorrows )

When Nero and Ambassador Spock were sent back to the 23rd century , causing what was called the Kelvin timeline after Nero's assault of the USS Kelvin , a photo of Uhura and Spock's crewmates aboard the USS Enterprise -A was among the personal effects bequeathed to the alternate Spock after Ambassador Spock passed away in the year 2263 . ( TOS movie : Beyond )

In stories by Benny Russell , Uhura was a character created by Russell. ( DS9 short story : " The Dreamer and the Dream ")

Starfleet service record [ ]

• Personal log , Nyota Uhura

Appendices [ ]

Connections [ ], external link [ ].

• Nyota Uhura article at Memory Alpha , the wiki for canon Star Trek .

Appearances [ ]

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Yes, Strange New Worlds Has A Scientific Explanation For Star Trek’s Musical Episode

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One of the great strengths of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is the way that it adds further depth to characters from Star Trek: The Original Series like Lieutenant Nyota Uhura (Nichelle Nichols.) Celia Rose Gooding plays a younger version of Uhura in Strange New Worlds , and her Cadet Uhura has received more character development than her predecessor in season 1. Despite the positive representation of a young Black woman aboard the Starship Enterprise, Uhura as a character often had very little to do in TOS , to Nichelle Nichols' disappointment.

Famously, Dr. Martin Luther King convinced Nichelle Nichols to stay on Star Trek because she was such a positive role model for Black people, especially girls. In the years following Star Trek , Nichelle Nichols went on to work with NASA to increase the diversity of the institution's prospective astronauts. In fact, the real-life story of Nichelle Nichols was often much more interesting and exciting than that of Nyota Uhura in Star Trek, an oversight that Strange New Worlds is finally fixing.

RELATED: Strange New Worlds Made Spock & Uhura Close Without Abrams' Mistake

5 Uhura's Family Were Killed In A Shuttle Accident

Strange New Worlds gave viewers more detail on Uhura's upbringing in Kenya prior to her joining Starfleet Academy. It's revealed in Strange New Worlds season 1, episode 2, "Children of the Comet" that the future Enterprise Communications Officer had a gift for alien languages and Uhura intended to study xenolingistics at the University of Nairobi. However, her plans were tragically changed by a tragic shuttle accident that caused the deaths of her parents and her brother. As her parents were teachers at the university, Uhura felt it would be too painful to follow her original plans.

4 Uhura's Grandmother Was A Starfleet Officer

As Uhura's grandmother was a former Starfleet Officer, it was her tales of her time in Starfleet that eventually inspired Nyota to follow in her footsteps into Starfleet. This is only mentioned in passing, so it's currently unclear on which starship Uhura's grandmother served aboard. It's possible that the Uhura family's history in Starfleet will be explored in more detail in future episodes of Strange New Worlds .

The decision to follow in her grandmother's footsteps didn't immediately solve Uhura's inner conflict. Although she had made it through Star Trek 's Starfleet Academy to the point that she was assigned to the Enterprise as a cadet, Uhura still had reservations. Mirroring Nichelle Nichols' own doubts about staying in Star Trek , Uhura's SNW arc explored whether Starfleet was the right decision for the young cadet.

RELATED: Every Way Strange New Worlds Has Already Changed TOS

3 Uhura Previously Served Aboard Another Ship

In Strange New Worlds season 1, episode 4, "Memento Mori" is set during Remembrance Day, when it's a Starfleet custom for officers to wear a pin that bears the name and insignia of a past ship on which they'd served and lost comrades. Uhura wore a badge that commemorates the USS Gallant, revealing that she served aboard the ship in some capacity. It's unclear exactly what happened to Uhura's comrades on the Gallant, but her assertion that her life has never been in danger in "Children of the Comet" suggests the tragedy happened after her assignment. However, the deaths of fellow Starfleet Officers so early in her career was a contributing factor to Uhura's doubts about her commitment to Starfleet .

2 Uhura Considered Leaving Starfleet

Uhura would be a loyal bridge officer right up until the Enterprise crew's final adventure in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country . However, Strange New Worlds revealed that at the start of her time on the Enterprise, she considered abandoning her burgeoning Starfleet career. Uhura and Lieutenant Spock (Ethan Peck) had a conversation about her doubts during "Children of the Comet" where Spock delivered some decidedly Vulcan words of encouragement.

Spock's pep talk worked at the moment, inspiring Uhura to solve the mystery of the comet's harmonic communications. As a result, Uhura saved Spock, the rest of the away team, and the population of the planet that found itself in the destructive path of the comet. However, Uhura still had her doubts about her place in Starfleet, despite Spock's assertion that they would be very lucky to have her as an officer.

1 Uhura Was Mentored By Hemmer

Although Spock and Lt. La'an Noonien Singh (Christina Chong) had words of encouragement for Cadet Uhura, it was Chief Engineer Hemmer (Bruce Horak) who made impacted the young Uhura the most. Uhura rotated various departments on the Enterprise, including Engineering. Uhura initially struggled to bond with the sarcastic Hemmer, a blind Aenar with an odd sense of humor . However, Hemmer and Uhura quickly bonded under the immense strain of the attack by Gorn ships. Uhura saw aspects of her late father in Hemmer, and she was drawn to the Aenar's alternative way of viewing the universe. Most notably his belief in finding the purpose of one's life.

RELATED: Strange New Worlds Has A Secret Kirk & Nurse Chapel Connection

Hemmer's purpose was " fixing what was once broken " but Uhura was unable to provide an answer as to her own path in life. When Hemmer tragically died in an encounter with Gorn hatchlings, Uhura finally made the decision to remain in Starfleet in his honor, thus sealing her Star Trek: The Original Series destiny. In a eulogy for Hemmer, Uhura acknowledged that, in convincing her of where her life's purpose lay, he had succeeded in fulfilling his own purpose - fixing what was once broken. It was an affecting resolution to Uhura's season 1 arc that showed how Star Trek: Strange New Worlds has been able to re-imagine familiar Trek characters while still honoring the original interpretations.

NEXT: Strange New Worlds Broke Canon Better Than Discovery & Picard

• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022)
• Star Trek: The Original Series (1966)

Star Trek Ranks, Explained

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Starting with the original series, Star Trek has adopted a quasi-military series of ranks and protocols for its characters. Starfleet is ostensibly a peaceful organization dedicated to exploration and diplomacy, but things can get dangerous on the final frontier. A functioning chain of command is necessary in the event of trouble to ensure that everyone operates at peak efficiency.

It's a bit of a paradox, since Starfleet officers also tend to be rugged individualists, but it makes a good deal of sense and over time has become an indispensable part of the franchise. A given character's rank speaks volumes about their comparative age, their position onboard, and their relationship with the other members of the crew. As with most things Star Trek, rank insignia has evolved over time. Here's a breakdown of Starfleet's ranking system in descending order from the lowliest cadets to the most powerful admirals.

Updated January 18, 2024 by Robert Vaux: Star Trek's ranking system is very stable at this point, and very little tends to change. The article has been updated to include a brief list of prominent members of each rank, along with the series and seasons they held it. It has also been updated to conform to current CBR guidelines.

9 Cadets Are Officers in Training at Starfleet Academy

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Cadets are typically students at Starfleet Academy , spending time onboard a starship as part of their training. They hold no rank and must obey the orders of any crewmen. They're often issued temporary badges or communicators and usually have a supervisory officer to watch over them. Cadets in the 23rd century wear badges with a distinctive black backing. Cadets in the 24th century wear distinctive uniforms denoting their status.

In Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, the Enterprise is used as a training vessel, with the crew consisting almost entirely of cadets. Wesley Crusher formally joins Starfleet Academy starting in Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 4, Episode 9, "Final Mission," and spends most of his subsequent appearances at that rank. Similarly, Nyota Uhura joins the Enterprise as a cadet in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, as does Sylvia Tilly in Star Trek: Discovery.

8 Enlisted Personnel/NCO Are Starfleet's Worker Bees

While officers attend Starfleet Academy, the rank-and-file personnel attend the 24th-century equivalent of boot camp. They become the anonymous crew working in the background, performing the countless tiny tasks required to keep a starship running. Their ranks include both enlisted crewmen and petty officers (the equivalent of sergeants) who often play supervisory roles. They typically lack any insignia on their uniforms, though chief petty officers in the Next Generation era sometimes have a black pip or similar marking.

Enlisted personnel often serve as The Original Series ' infamous red shirts : doomed to die in the name of plot exposition. The Next Generation introduces perhaps Starfleet's best-known enlisted man. Miles O'Brien runs the transporters on the Enterprise-D, and later becomes Chief of Operations on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .

7 Ensigns Hold The Lowest Rank

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Ensigns are the lowest-ranking officers on Starfleet vessels. Cadets typically receive the rank of ensign immediately upon graduation from Starfleet Academy. While they technically have command authority, they're usually assigned menial tasks beneath the attention of the senior officers. Like NCOs, they lack insignia on their uniforms in The Original Series era. With The Next Generation and later series, ensigns receive a single gold pip on their collar. They're often lumped into the red shirt category.

Harry Kim is probably the franchise's most famous (or infamous) ensign, failing to receive a single promotion through Star Trek: Voyager's seven seasons , despite serving with distinction on the bridge. The Original Series' Pavel Chekov also begins his Starfleet career as an ensign, though he advances at a faster rate. Of course, the four main characters in Star Trek: Lower Decks are ensigns, though they all receive a promotion to lieutenant, junior grade at the beginning of Season 4.

6 Lieutenant, Junior Grade Have More Responsibility Than Ensigns

The next step up the ladder is lieutenant, junior grade. These are officers with more authority and responsibility than ensigns, but who still require seasoning before taking higher command positions. Medical personnel typically receive the lieutenant, junior grade rank after graduating, which reflects their extended training time. The Original Series uses a single dashed bar on the uniform sleeves to denote them, though Strange New Worlds has retconned that with a connected colored bar. T he Next Generation and later series note the rank with a second black pip in addition to the ensign's colored pip.

Both Julian Bashir and Ezri Dax hold the rank of lieutenant, junior grade when they begin their duties on Deep Space 9, though Ezri receives hers as a field promotion in Season 7, Episode 3, "Afterimage." Geordi La Forge starts as a lieutenant, junior grade too, as does Mr. Worf. B'Elanna Torres receives the rank on a provisional basis when she joins the crew of the Voyager, and the Lower Decks crew are all promoted to lieutenant, junior grade in Season 4, Episode 1, "Twovix."

5 Lieutenants Lead the Away Teams and More

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When J.J. Abrams helped reboot Star Trek in 2009, elements of the film seemed borrowed from The Academy Years, a discarded Original Series era movie.

Lieutenants have advanced to the point where they can take on considerable responsibilities. They may lead away teams or control key systems, and they often appear among the bridge crew or even as department heads. The Original Series notes them with a single bar on the uniform sleeve, while Strange New Worlds adds a second thinner bar above the lieutenant, junior grade's insignia. The Next Generation uses two colored pips on the collar — a method emulated by subsequent series.

Worf spends most of The Next Generation's later seasons as a lieutenant (he's promoted to lieutenant commander during the events of Star Trek Generations ) while Ro Laren is promoted to lieutenant shortly before her defection to the Maquis in The Next Generation Season 7, Episode 24, "Preemptive Strike." Lieutenants often occupy the helm position, including Hikaru Sulu in The Original Series, Keyla Detmer in Star Trek: Discovery , and Erica Ortegas in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds .

4 Lieutenant Commanders Head up Departments

Lieutenant commanders hold positions of senior responsibility onboard a starship, even serving as executive officers or de facto captains on small ships. One larger ships, they often serve as the head of specific departments such as science and engineering. In The Original Series , the rank is designated with two stripes on the sleeve — one thick, one dashed — which Strange New Worlds adjusts to two thick colored bands. The Next Generation and subsequent shows note lieutenant commanders with two colored pips and one black one.

Montgomery Scott holds the rank of lieutenant commander in The Original Series , acting as Chief Engineer and even commanding the Enterprise when Kirk and Spock are away on missions. Similarly, Geordi La Forge rises to the rank of lieutenant commander in The Next Generation , joining Data and Deanna Troi at the position, though the latter eventually advances to commander. Worf and Jadzia Dax are both lieutenant commanders when they begin their romance on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . Lastly, the original Number One — Una Chin-Riley on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds — is a lieutenant commander.

3 Commanders Aid and Can Take Over the Captain's Dutires

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Commanders are usually the ship's executive officers, "Number Ones," who assist the captain in their duties and step up in the event the captain is incapacitated. Commanders are often viewed as captains in training, and ultimately destined for a ship of their own in the future. In some cases, commanders are the head authority on smaller ships or space stations. Chief medical officers often hold this position as well. They're delineated by two thick bands on their sleeves in The Original Series era and three colored pips on the collar in The Next Generation and later.

Mr. Spock holds the rank of commander during the events of The Original Series , serving double duty as chief science officer as well. He's been followed by the likes of William Riker on The Next Generation and Seven of Nine on Star Trek: Picard . In addition, Beverly Crusher and Leonard McCoy both hold the rank of commander, while Deanna Tori is promoted to commander in Season 7, Episode 16, "Thine Own Self." Ben Sisko also begins his tenure on Deep Space 9 as a commander before being promoted to full captain at the end of Season 3.

2 Captains Command Starfleet's Various Starships

The captain serves as the commander of a starship, with the entire crew ranked beneath them. This affords them a great deal of autonomy, but also equal amounts of responsibility. Starships must often face dangers alone in the far depths of space. It falls to the captain to make the final call when lives are at stake. Occasionally, captains can be found in other duties, such as commanding a star base or holds an administrative position on Earth. Captains are delineated by three stripes on their sleeves in the Original Series era — two thick, one dashed — which Strange New Worlds slightly alters to a single thin band sandwiched between two thicker ones. The Next Generation era uses four full pips on the collar.

Most Star Trek series use a captain as the main character, starting with James T. Kirk in The Original Series . Their ranks include Jean-Luc Picard, Kathryn Janeway, Christopher Pike, and Carol Freeman. In addition, many lower-ranking characters eventually attain the captain's chair, such as Will Riker, Tuvok, and Mr. Spock. Both Ben Sisko and Michael Burnham become captain after several seasons of climbing the ranks, a change from most Star Trek series which tend to begin with their captains in place.

1 Admirals Possess The Greatest Rank and Come to Represent Starfleet Itself

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Fans laud Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, but he didn't do it alone, with Dorothy D.C. Fontana being a very important woman in franchise history.

Admirals are Starfleet's major movers and shakers, placed in charge of entire fleets or overseeing vital operations. As flag officers, they no longer serve onboard starships, though they can claim command of one if circumstances dictate. James T. Kirk takes control of the Enterprise as an Admiral in both Star Trek: The Motion Picture and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , while both Kathryn Janeway in Star Trek: Prodigy and Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: Picard are the authority on their respective vessels.

In addition to giving successful captains a cushy desk job, Star Trek often uses admirals as stand-ins for Starfleet itself: either aiding the crew in their endeavors or standing in their way when they go against protocol. They're delineated by a wide variety of methods, and hold varying ranks within the admiralty, such as Vice Admiral and Commodore, that shift from project to project.

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.

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Nyota Uhura

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Lieutenant Nyota Uhura is a Human Starfleet officer assigned to the U.S.S. Enterprise .

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External links [ | ]

• Nyota Uhura at Memory Alpha , the Star Trek Wiki.
• Nyota Uhura at Memory Beta , the non-canon Star Trek Wiki.
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Admiral Nyota Uhura

Admiral Nyota Uhura is a refined, elegant lady of Terran African ancestry, who is one of the most respected and recognized officers in all of Starfleet. She is the Director of Starfleet Intelligence, second most senior officer at Starfleet Command, which means that she is answerable only to the President and the Federation Council. Uhura has one daughter, Lieutenant Paa Uhura (Paa means "Panther" in ancient Swahili.)

Uhura was born in Johannesburg, United States of Africa, on December 28, 2240. She attended Starfleet Academy when she was just 17, and graduated with honors, fourth in her class, with the rank of lieutenant j.g. Uhura was immediately retained to teach Communications, languages, and anthropology at the Academy, and worked at Starfleet Command as a translator for the first few years of her career. Then in 2264, she served on the USS Enterprise NCC - 1701 , the Federation's Flagship, under command of Captain James Tiberius Kirk; indeed, Kirk had to pull strings to get Uhura assigned as his Communications Chief.  Uhura served at her post for the next 27 years, on the Enterprise 1701 and 1701-A, until the "A" was decommissioned years later, and put into a museum orbiting Earth in 2291.  Unwilling to retire, Commander Uhura returned to a professorship at Starfleet Academy, teaching Languages and Communications.  She was at this post barely two weeks, when we was approached by Starfleet Intelligence, to serve as an expert in decryption, communications, and traffic analysis.  When the Director retired 9 years later, in 2299, Uhura was his only choice to replace him, in a recommendation to the President; Captain and later, Admiral Uhura has remained at this esteemed post in Starfleet Command ever since.  

In 2340, the Starship Enterprise-C , and Admiral Leonard McCoy, discovered some alien medical equipment on a dead world orbiting a burned-out Red Giant. Uhura was suffering from advanced stages of Antarian encephalitis, and McCoy cloned her a new, youthful body, then transferred her consciousness (or soul) into it. Thus, Nyota Uhura is technically one of the youngest senior admirals serving at Starfleet Command. The admiral has dyed her hair gray and had a few cosmetic "crows feet" put into her face with a dermal

regenerator, so as not to arouse suspicion. If anyone is foolish enough to physically confront the admiral, however, they are in for a swinging shock: she can handle herself quite expertly, and Uhura is a blackbelt in several martial arts.

Among the many officers who currently work for Uhura (or have worked for her in the past) are: Commander Elias Vaughn, Commander Benjamin Sisko , Lt. Cmdr. Data , Captain Jean-Luc Picard , Dr. Julian Bashir , and Dr. Jaryd Harker .

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Strange New Worlds is finally fixing the most neglected character in Star Trek canon

Uhura was a super talented linguist in The Original Series . But now, her skills will finally be showcased.

Uhura is the MVP of the classic Enterprise. But, in the 1960s Star Trek: The Original Series, you might not have known. Although Nichelle Nichols’ character created a pioneering moment for Black representation on mainstream TV, she was often frustrated that Uhura’s role wasn’t bigger. Now, in a new clip from Strange New Worlds , Celia Rose Gooding’s new Uhura is here to set the record straight.

Uhura’s origin story revealed

In a newly released clip from Paramount+ , we learn that Strange New Worlds will tell the origin story of Nyota Uhura. While it’s true we saw Zoe Saldaña’s Uhura at the beginning of her career in the 2009 Star Trek reboot, that version of the character is technically from the alternate Kelvin Universe. Celia Rose Gooding’s Uhura is from the Prime Universe, meaning Strange New Worlds is showing us what led to Uhura’s role in TOS .

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And, in giving us her backstory, the character is finally getting the well-rounded skillset she deserves.

Nichelle Nichols in Star Trek: The Original Series.

How TOS short-changed Uhura

As revealed in the documentary Woman In Motion (as well as her memoir, Beyond Uhura ) Nichelle Nichols got pretty sick of saying “hailing frequencies open” over and over again on the classic Star Trek . Although Roddenberry had imagined her character as the lead linguist and communications officer on the Enterprise , most of that canon exists offscreen. Like George Takei, Walter Koenig, and James Doohan, Nichols was essentially a supporting cast member. And after seeing the various changes made as scripts were developed, Nichols often felt short-changed. In William Shatner’s memoir, Star Trek Memories , she said :

“I’d get the first draft, the white pages, and see what Uhura had to do this week, and maybe it was a halfway-decent scene or two, sometimes more, and then invariably the next draft would come in on blue pages and I’d find that Uhura’s presence in the show had been cut way down...it finally got to the point where I had really had it. I mean, I just decided that I don’t even need to read the f**king script! I mean I know how to say, ‘hailing frequencies open.’”

The J.J. Abrams films did a bit to try and build up Uhura’s actual presence as part of the crew, but in three movies of that continuity, there was only so much space for Saldaña’s Uhura.

Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding) sets Captain Pike straight about her language skills.

Strange New Worlds is finally giving Uhura her due

In the new Strange New Worlds clip, we see Uhura’s first moments on the USS Enterprise. We also see Captain Pike erroneously thinking she speaks “12 languages.” She quickly corrects him, saying it’s actually “37.”

This is a pretty big deal. Although Uhura’s presence in The Original Series was important for representation, her character was tragically underdeveloped. Her skill and importance to the crew was implied in The Original Series more than it was depicted. The feature films did a bit to mitigate this sense of tokenism, but even in The Undiscovered Country , Uhura was depicted looking up Klingon phrases on the fly, which makes no sense for an expert linguist.

In the new clip, Spock (Ethan Peck) says to Uhura, “Starfleet would be fortunate to have an officer like you.” This doesn’t mean that Spock and Uhura will become a couple like they did in the Kelvinverse, but it does connect to a relationship that Spock and Uhura had in The Original Series . In several episodes, including “The Man Trap” and “Charlie X,” it was clear that of all the people on the Enterprise , Spock often deferred to Uhura.

And now, in Strange New Worlds , it looks like we’re finally going to see why. If this new Trek delivers on its promise, Uhura could end up being an even bigger deal than Spock, which will hopefully raise more than a few eyebrows.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds hits Paramount+ on May 5, 2022.

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Who Plays Nyota Uhura On Star Trek: Strange New Worlds?

In the "Star Trek" timeline, few space-faring females stand quite as tall as Nyota Uhura . The Kenyan-born communications officer is one of the series' most iconic characters and one of the best examples of how "Star Trek" shattered the social norms of its time. When the original series aired in the late 1960s, TV audiences were not entirely used to seeing Black women portrayed with as much competence and skill as Uhura (originally played by Nichelle Nichols). The character is a genius, a prodigy of languages, a high-ranking Federation officer and ship commander, and one-half of one of the first interracial kisses to ever air on television (via CNN ).

That legacy remains strong even now, over half a century after Uhura and "Star Trek" initially debuted. Thanks to "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," which tells the story of the USS Enterprise crew before James T. Kirk (William Shatner) took command, a whole new generation is being introduced to Uhura. More specifically, they're being introduced to Uhura as portrayed by actor Celia Rose Gooding. While this is the first time that many "Star Trek" fans have been introduced to Gooding, "Strange New Worlds" is far from her only influential role.

Celia Rose Gooding is an award-winning thespian

If you haven't heard of Celia Rose Gooding before now, then we won't blame you. She hasn't been acting quite as long as others. However, Gooding has accomplished quite a lot, possibly because the talent is in her blood. Her mother is Tony Award-winning actor LaChanze, who identified Gooding's talent from a very young age (via Playbill ). As a child, Gooding grew up seeing her mother succeed in theater, even helping her as a reader for auditions at times. This, in no small way, prepared Gooding for her own theater career, where she has made swift progress.

Aside from "Strange New Worlds," Gooding is likely best known for her role in the Broadway play "Jagged Little Pill," where she plays Frankie Healy, the adopted Black bisexual daughter of a white family. In 2021, "Jagged Little Pill" won a Grammy for best musical theater album (via IMDb ), making it Gooding's first award as a professional actor. That's a strong start if ever there was one.

Now that this star has made a trek over to the strange new world of television, however, we look forward to seeing what Celia Rose Gooding can accomplish when she's offstage and on-screen. Who knows? She just might win an Emmy as her second award.

In Swahili the name of Uhura, a striking black woman, translates to 'freedom,' and she speaks that language fluently. She also has a singing voice and was known to entertain members of the U.S.S. Enterprise crew, accompanying herself on the Vulcan harp. Uhura has shown some romantic interest in Scotty, but it was never pursued. After her memory was wiped in 2267 by the space probe Nomad, Uhura spent considerable time relearning the huge pieces of information the probe had destroyed.

Uhura served at Starfleet Command on Earth after the reassignment of the original U.S.S. Enterprise to Starfleet Academy in 2284, where part of her duty was to give lectures. Prior to the Khitomer peace conference, Uhura returned to her former post on the U.S.S. Enterprise-A at the request of Captain Kirk.

Why didn’t Lt. Uhura ever take command in Star Trek: The Original Series

By lillyan ratcliffe | may 5, 2023.

Though Lt. Uhura was fourth in command of the Enterprise, she never took command of the ship on Star Trek: The Original Series

As fourth in command of the USS Enterprise and Senior Communications Officer, Lt. Uhura (played by Nichelle Nichols) should have been in command multiple times throughout The Original Series as Kirk and Spock often ended up on the surface of a Class-M planet either fighting for their lives or exploring the surface.  Yet in TOS , Uhura never took command, even when most of the crew was on a mission.  Several times, a less obvious character took command of the bridge, including various one-shot characters who never got developed.

Even though Lt. Uhura was one of the most influential characters on TOS and inspired generations of people – including future Trek actors Whoopi Goldberg and Tim Russ along with several NASA astronauts – she often got short-changed when it came to command.  In various episodes, she took over for Sulu and Spock at the helm and science station respectively plus repaired her own communications station , so she was clearly a skilled officer. Yet she never got to have command of the bridge until The Animated Series .

Was it a combination of a gender double standard and racism that kept Uhura from getting to take command?  Had TOS continued on, would Uhura have been able to take command more easily?  Was part of the reason Uhura got to take command in TAS because it was produced years later and for a different audience?

Lt. Uhura couldn’t take command, nor could Number One or Sulu

Although Uhura being a woman of color probably did impact her chances of taking command of the bridge during missions, her gender by itself may have also played a role in this.  Gene Roddenberry and others have spoken about how Majel Barratt’s role as Number One in the original pilot “The Cage” was a point of contention with the test audience and producers which led to writing Number One out of the second pilot then giving most of her character traits to Spock, the new second-in-command who is male.  It is also important to note that while Lt. Uhura is a prominent member of the crew, she is one of the few women who regularly appeared on the show, meaning that almost everyone in the chain of command was male and often Caucasian as well.

A prime example of this comes from the episode “Catspaw” where DeSalle takes command of the bridge.  DeSalle had previously had minor roles in “The Squire of Gothos” and “This Side of Paradise” as part of the away teams in different divisions.  In “Catspaw” he is identified as Assistant Chief Engineer and is placed in charge when Kirk, Spock, and McCoy beam down to search for Sulu and Scotty.  This leaves only Chekov and Uhura of the main recurring cast on the bridge.

It is interesting to note that DeSalle and Chekov do not seem to get along as when DeSalle tells Chekov to rescan the area he also implies he might need to help Chekov recalibrate the sensors.  Chekov retorts he is capable of doing that.  Compare that to how DeSalle is much more respectful of Uhura, never once implying the same level of disdain for her as Chekov.  There could be two in-universe explanations for this – either DeSalle considers Uhura more capable or DeSalle respects Uhura more because he may need to hand over command to her next.

This situation also highlights a subtle hint towards the role of gender in command.  Throughout TOS several male characters of color are seen in powers of position.  “Court Martial” has Commander Stone, Doctor M’Benga had roles in “A Private Little War” and “That Which Survives” (before becoming a main cast member in Strange New Worlds ), Lieutenant Boma in “The Galileo Seven”, and more.  Women of color were featured throughout TOS as Yeomen, Lieutenants, scientists, and more, but none of them were given command of a starship.  The TOS finale even hinges on this as “Turnabout Intruder” is based around Dr. Janice Lester (who is white) whos is so resentful that even though she is a talented scientist she is barred from captaincy based on her gender. And that’s why she switches bodies with Kirk.

Lt. Uhura takes command in Star Trek: The Animated Series

This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of The Animated Series which gave Uhura one of her best episodes and let her command the ship in the episode “The Lorelei Signal”.   In this episode, a group of female aliens abduct several members of the crew to drain their life force.  Uhura takes command then with Christine Chapel and an all-female security detail storms the planet, phasers ready.  Uhura and her team defeat the aliens, save Kirk and company, and send a message to Starfleet to help the aliens so that they no longer need to depend on the life forces of male humanoids to survive.

TAS gives Uhura many vital scenes in many episodes, giving her a more active role where she got to do more than say “hailing frequencies open.” As Nichelle Nichols discussed in interviews, she got tired of that being her main contribution to episodes of TOS .  Uhura did everything from talking down computers, to using an early version of the holodeck, to joking with her fellow crew members, giving Uhura more personality and agency than ever before in TAS .

Did the animated medium give the writers more opportunities since it was written in the 1970s compared to the live action medium in the 1960s?  Was the show less scrutinized than its predecessor based on the former’s popularity and fan response? What do you think?

Related Story. Nichelle Nicholas wasn't happy with ST decision. light

Uhura's Story

While the Excelsior orbits a planet on the verge of breaking up, Uhura recounts an early mission aboard the Enterprise .

• 1.1 Creators
• 1.2 Characters
• 1.3 References

Background information [ ]

• Framing sequence takes place between the events of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home .
• Flashback sequence takes place around stardate 1297.80 , preceding " Where No Man Has Gone Before " ( TOS ).
• Sulu mans the Excelsior 's navigator's position in this issue, while Sanderson mans the helm.
• Saavik , like Sanderson, is shown wearing commander or lieutenant commander 's rank insignia, despite her rank of lieutenant . (The artwork makes it difficult to be certain.) Therefore, Sanderson may hold any one of these ranks.
• The shuttlecraft named " Keppler " in this issue features the call-letters of the Galileo (NCC-1701/7).
• In the flashback, Enterprise officers wear branch-specific department colors, although it is no later than 2265 .
• Uniforms from both eras show up in some of the same panels.
• The Klingon commander bears a seemingly "type-2" (Human-like) appearance, except with pointed ears.
• The sentries on Tally wear thick armored suits unlike anything seen elsewhere in any Trek episode, movie or comic.
• Kirk and Spock discuss a "treaty" which led to a "cessation of hostilities many years ago." This could not have been the Organian Peace Treaty ( 2267 ).

Creators [ ]

• Based on Star Trek created by Gene Roddenberry
• Writer: Paul Kupperberg
• Carmine Infantino (pencil art)
• Ricardo Villagran (inking)
• Michele Wolfman (color art)
• Agustin Mas (letter art)
• Cover artists for this release have not yet been identified.
• Editor: Robert Greenberger

Characters [ ]

References [ ].

USS Enterprise

USS Excelsior

Class F shuttlecraft

• 1 Daniels (Crewman)