star trek female aliens

Star Trek 's Sexiest Aliens

Marta (Yvonne Craig)

Any sexy- Trek list has to start with "those green ladies who dance all sexy and stuff." And though Susan Oliver undulated gamely enough in the show's original pilot, Yvonne Craig—yes, Batgirl herself—set the bar for moves and attitude. Watching her perfomance in the original series ep "Whom Gods Destroy," it's hard to say which was more fun: Watching her gyrations not work on Spock, or work really well on Kirk.

Gaila (Rachel Nichols)

Nichols' brief appearance as Uhura's Orion roommate/one of the many conquests of Chris Pine's delightfully horndoggy Kirk was perhaps the most wink-wink-nudge-nudge-inducing of the 2009 film's many, many callbacks to the original series.

Ilia (Persis Khambatta)

The Deltan race is apparently too sexy for hair. Anyway, the lovely Khambatta's role in Star Trek: The Motion Picture was really all about sex, even after her original character was killed and replaced by an exact replica. And she wouldn't stop going on about Shatner's "Kirk unit."

Kamala (Famke Janssen)

The Next Generation episode "The Perfect Mate" isn't one of the better ones, and Janssen's role as essentially a living, programmable sexbot is problematic to say the least. But the future Jean Grey does look absolutely stunning as this Kriosian, and you really believe that the future Professor X is doing his stoic utmost not to surrender to her charms.

Spock (Leonard Nimoy)

Maybe it's just us, but on the right face, those ears just do...something. (Come on, has Orlando Bloom ever looked half as good as he does as Legolas?) And the original Vulcan is the only...wait for it... logical choice as sexiest pointy-eared hobgoblin in the Alpha Quadrant. Yes, even in a bathrobe.

Spock (Zachary Quinto)

Still hot, in any timeline.

Saavik (Kirstie Alley)

More Vulcans? Sure! Honorable mentions to Robin Curtis and Kim Cattrall in their respective pointy-eared and plucked-eyebrow drag, but Alley wore the ears more naturally than anyone but Nimoy. Her buttoned-up Saavik had great chemistry with both Shatner and Nimoy in The Wrath of Khan .

T'Pring (Arlene Martel)

Martel's severe beauty as Spock's scheming wife-to-be in "Amok Time" sliced right through the soft-focus lenses they seemed to use on all close-ups of women in the original series.

T'Pol (Jolene Blalock)

Moving from the soft-focus era to the tight-catsuit-in-glorious-HD era, Enterprise 's Blalock looked less like a Vulcan and more like a really hot chick with a bad wig and fake ears. Which might have been why they opted for the tight catsuit...

The Romulan Commander (Mark Lenard)

Surprise! Not a Vulcan, but a Romulan, before The Next Generation gave them bumpy foreheads. Mark Lenard was absolutely convincing and compelling as Spock's aloof, distant father, Sarek. But he was sexy as the unnamed, passionate, conflicted Romulan commander who played U-boat skipper to Kirk's sub-hunter captain in the original series' "Balance of Terror."

Nero (Eric Bana)

The only post-bumpy-forehead Romulan to make the list. His delivery of the "Hi, Christopher, I'm Nero" line in J.J. Abrams' film gave his vengeance-driven, potentially one-note character a much-needed note of humor—always sexy.

Andrea (Sherry Jackson)

The miniskirt uniform notwithstanding, the original series' costume designers were good at coming up with female outfits that showed some skin, but not always at making them sexy. But this alien android's strategically cut jumpsuit and oh-so-'60s hairdo in "What Are Little Girls Made Of?" totally work. (And yes, that is Ted Cassidy, better known as Lurch from The Addams Family , behind her.)

Data (Brent Spiner)

Speaking of androids, come on: Data was hot. His evil twin Lore wasn't without his charms, we suppose, though a little too snotty and, well, homicidal for our tastes. But Data? Especially in those Next Generation episodes where he got to take command and order people around and stuff? Mmmmm...

Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor)

Speaking of ordering people around, who among us isn't turned on by beautiful, powerful people with complicated pasts and the steel to look impossible odds in the face and say, "If you want a war, I'll give you one"—and say it with a smile? We didn't need to see that tarted-up, alternate-universe Intendant version, Nana—your take on this Bajoran babe had us at the Deep Space Nine pilot.

Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell)

We get the sense Deep Space Nine writers didn't know what to do with Dax until they settled on the Trill being a multigenerational horndog. Beautiful as Farrell is, she makes the list because of three things that happened in the original-series crossover ep "Trials and Tribble-ations": She wore the miniskirt uniform; she preferred Spock to Kirk; and one of her previous hosts had played doctor with McCoy.

Worf (Michael Dorn)

Worf is not a merry man. Hot as he is through all that latex, this Klingon cutie has the worst luck with women. The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine are old news now, but it still feels like spoilers to talk about, you know, what happened. And then that other thing. That happened. But ladies, if you were thinking about consoling him? Forget it. Earth females are too fragile.

Kurn (Tony Todd)

Spock was only half-Vulcan: Nimoy created the template for all Vulcans who followed, but he was doing a trapped-between-two-worlds thing. It was Mark Lenard's turn as his father that defined how a "real" Vulcan behaved. The quintessential Klingon for us is Todd as Worf's brother. His intense interpretation brings to mind his work in Candyman , only with more makeup and fewer bees.

Amanda Rogers (Olivia D'Abo)

Fresh off her run as the free-spiritied hippie big sister on The Wonder Years , the charmingly crooked-toothed beauty appeared on The Next Generation 's "True Q" as a young woman who thought she was human, but was actually an all-powerful Q. She's supposedly enamored of Riker, but she actually has better chemistry with John de Lancie as Q than anyone not named Patrick Stewart.

The Borg Queen (Alice Krige)

Attempt number one to make the Borg somehow alluring, in an H.R. Giger sort of way, was a success. The Borg Queen's seduction of Data in First Contact doesn't make a whole hell of a lot of sense in terms of plot logic, but Krige's purring menace sells it.

Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan)

Of course, it's a lot easier to make the Borg alluring if you lose all those cables, flashing lights and deathly pale makeup. And if you cast a gorgeous, curvaceous blonde in the role, as Ryan was cast in Voyager , and put her in a skintight catsuit instead of, oh, a Starfleet uniform or something silly like that. Assimilation never looked so good.

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Sexy aliens: 23 heavenly bodies from sci-fi

From Tricia Helfer in Battlestar Galactica to Jane Fonda in Barbarella to Billy Dee Williams in The Empire Strikes Back and Jeff Bridges in Starman, here are some of our favorite extraterrestrial hotties.

Played by: Henry Cavill

Films: Man of Steel (2013), Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Justice League (2017), and Zack Snyder's Justice League (2021)

With a pec-hugging super suit, the Brits' take on the all-American (by way of Krypton) hero puts the "S" in sexy . — Lanford Beard

Played by: Zachary Quinto

Films: Star Trek (2009), Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), Star Trek Beyond (2016)

Spock may choose logic over emotions most of the time, but that doesn't mean we aren't a little hot and bothered by his finely chiseled features. — Lanford Beard

Played by: Morena Baccarin

Show: Firefly (2002–03)

Film: Serenity (2005)

Flinty, self-aware, and smoking hot prostitutes have a storied history in Hollywood's Old West ( Stagecoach , Destry Rides Again , Unforgiven , et al.). Inara, a companion for the upper echelon, took to the off-world frontier in Joss Whedon 's cult favorite space Western. — Geoff Boucher

Xev Bellringer

Played by: Xenia Seeberg

Show: Lexx (1997)

Bred to be a perfect wife, Xev was portrayed by multiple actresses during Lexx 's four seasons, but Seeberg was the only one who went through a machine called the Lusticon, intended to transform her into being of sexual servitude. Need we say more? — L.B.

Max and Isabel Evans

Played by: Jason Behr and Katherine Heigl

Show: Roswell (1999–2002)

Forgetting their stone-cold looks, these royal twins had touch-based powers—many of which could be used as aphrodisiacs. Max could make his girlfriend's skin glow by touch, and Isabel could set the perfect ambiance for a date (from candle flickering and turning on music to adjusting her nail polish and lipstick shade) on any whim. How could we resist? — L.B.

Marta, the Orion dancing girl

Played by: Yvonne Craig

Show: Star Trek: The Original Series (1969)

Leia's metal bikini outfit from when she strangled Jabba to death gets all the cosplay love, but she was hardly the first enslaved woman in space—years before, geeks got an eyeful of this green temptress. Though she only appeared in one 1969 episode, her vampy mash-up of Ginger, Mary Ann, and the Wicked Witch was enough for to leave a lasting impression. Bonus: Craig also played Batgirl on the Batman TV series and canoodled with the King in two Elvis Presley movies. — G.B.

Caprica Six, D'Anna Biers, and Sharon "Boomer" Agathon

Played by: Tricia Helfer, Lucy Lawless , and Grace Park

Show: Battlestar Galactica (2004–2009)

Cerebral villainy just doesn't get any hotter than this robotic trio, who have been vexing humanity since their fellow Cylons wiped out mankind in an all-out war. (Okay, maybe Boomer isn't a complete villain...but she has done some very bad things.) — Marc Bernardin

Seven of Nine

Played by: Jeri Ryan

Shows: Star Trek: Voyager (1997–2001) and Star Trek: Picard (2020–present)

Starfleet uniforms have always been a little snug, but they're nothing compared to the bedazzled catsuit Ryan strutted around in as the Borg refugee who joined the crew of the Starship Voyager . — M.B.

Played by: Jane Fonda

Film: Barbarella (1968)

The swingin' '60s definitely needed its own sci-fi siren and Jane Fonda stepped up to the plate. Just look at the opening credits —sultry (and corny) is as sultry does. — M.B.

Lando Calrissian

Played by: Billy Dee Williams

Films: Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back (1980), Star Wars: Episode VI—Return of the Jedi (1983), and Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker (2019)

Played by : Donald Glover

Film: Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

One can't deny the intergalactic swagger of this Cloud City administrator and one-time hustler. Just listen to this pick-up line: "You look absolutely beautiful. You truly belong here with us among the clouds." That would totally work in your average sports bar...in the clouds. — M.B.

Played by: Jeff Bridges

Film: Starman (1984)

Soft and dewy like a baby duck, Bridges earned himself an Oscar nomination for his performance as a stranded alien who takes the form of a widow's ( Karen Allen ) dead husband. Of course, she's got to road-trip him to rendezvous with his mothership—and fall in love with him en route. Easily the cuddliest of John Carpenter 's flicks, due in great part to Bridges' wide-eyed innocence. — M.B.

Played by: Natasha Henstridge

Film: Species (1995)

A woman created by DNA codes from outer space who has no problem with nudity and really likes to have sex? So what if she's prone to killing her mate afterwards? For many a movie-going geek, that was a deal worth making. — M.B.

Princess Aura

Played by: Ornella Muti

Film: Flash Gordon (1980)

As the daughter of Mongo's despot Ming the Merciless (Charles Middleton), Aura was used to getting whatever she wanted. Lucky for us, she wanted revealing outfits—all the better to bewitch lunkheaded quarterback heroes from Earth with. — M.B.

Played by: Christopher Reeve

Films: Superman (1978), Superman II (1980), Superman III (1983), Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987)

Despite standing for truth, justice, and the American way, the Big Blue Schoolboy (né Kal-El) is indeed an alien. An alien who will compress coal into diamonds, (usually) refrain from using his X-ray vision to see through clothing, and turn back time to save the woman he loves. Also, he's built like a friggin' linebacker. — M.B.

Played by: Christopher Eccleston

Show: Doctor Who (2005)

A little bit freaky, a little bit scary, the time-traveling Doctor got a face-lift for this 21st-century reinvention of the classic British sci-fi show. And Eccleston plays him like a pan-dimensional Puck. Besides, a good leather coat always works wonders. — M.B.

Played by: Milla Jovovich

Film: The Fifth Element (1997)

Everyone in this movie keeps referring to this red-headed nymph as "the perfect being." Now, she may seem about as smart as a box of hammers, but she definitely lives up to the hype on a physical level. — M.B.

Played by: Michael Dorn

Shows: Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994), and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1995–1999)

Films: Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991), Star Trek: Generations (1994), Star Trek: First Contact (1996), Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)

I'm sure it'd piss off Commander Riker ( Jonathan Frakes ), but this Klingon was the Enterprise 's real tall, dark, and handsome...especially once he got rid of that beauty pageant hairdo and went with the badass warrior braid. (That's right...warrior braid. All the cool warriors are wearing 'em.) — M.B.

Played by: Lara Flynn Boyle

Film: Men in Black II (2002)

Ms. Boyle's alien-baddie brought the slink-and-seductive to this Will Smith sequel. — M.B.

Played by: Terry Farrell

Show: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993–1998)

This tall drink of synthehol is a symbiote—which, in Star Trek -ese, means that she's got a little slug living inside of her. And that's a joke I'm just gonna let sit right there. — M.B.

The Brother

Played by: Joe Morton

Film: The Brother From Another Planet (1984)

If the cliché holds that some people love the strong, silent type, then it's no wonder that Morton's nonverbal visitor makes the list—and his preternaturally expressive eyes definitely get the job done. — M.B.

Played by: Jane Badler

Film: V (1984)

You know, if more lizard-y alien conquerors took on hottie disguises like this, they'd have a much better chance at pacifying the citizenry. — M.B.

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Friday 8 May 2020

The amazing aliens of star trek beyond.

View this post on Instagram #fbf a short video of the beautiful John Wrightson @wrightstuffdesign sculpture I was lucky enough to paint for Joel Harlow Designs last summer on StarTrek Beyond. #startrek #startrekbeyond #aliens #mask #makeupfx #fxmakeup #sfx #spfx #scifi #film #art A post shared by Kyle Huculak (@kylehuculakmkpfx) on Dec 16, 2016 at 10:00am PST

View this post on Instagram #tbt to painting up some alien arms for Joel Harlow Designs on StarTrek Beyond. These bad boys were sculpted by the Awesome @mikeyrots #startrekbeyond #fxmakeup #makeupfx #aliens #startrek #creature #practicalfx #creaturefx #sfx #spfx #film #art A post shared by Kyle Huculak (@kylehuculakmkpfx) on Jan 19, 2017 at 9:08am PST

View this post on Instagram #FBF to last summer working on the #bridge of the #Starship #Enterprise on #Paramount's #StarTrekBeyond. Felt privileged to work with #AcademyAwardWinner #JoelHarlow who is also #JohnnyDepp's go-to guy, as well as his amazing team #LennieMacDonald #HarlowMcFarlane #ShelaghMcIvor and #CindyHarlow. Wait for the back of the head... A post shared by christiansloan (@christiansloan) on Aug 12, 2016 at 2:23pm PDT

View this post on Instagram Video of the Sheldon Alien mask I painted last summer for Joel Harlow Designs on #startrekbeyond Sculpted by the awesome @mikeyrots #startrek #mask #scifi #film #makeupfx #spfx #sfx #creature #alien #art A post shared by Kyle Huculak (@kylehuculakmkpfx) on Dec 7, 2016 at 1:41am PST

• Joel Harlow: Website , Facebook , Twitter .
• Carlos Huante: Website , Instagram , another Instagram .
• Don Lanning: Facebook , Instagram , DeviantArt .
• John Wrightson: Instagram .
• Norman Cabrera: Website , Instagram .
• Mikey Rotella: Website , Instagram .
• Marc Opdycke: Instagram .
• Kyle Huculak: Instagram .
• Caitlin Groves: Instagram .

I'm going to have to get that book. I do love how much creativity went into a lot of those alien designs, though I can't help wishing they had mixed in more familiar species.

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The 21 Sexiest Aliens We'd Want To Share A Spaceship With On UFO Day

Today (July 2) is officially World UFO Day -- which means you're probably already outside with a telescope, hoping for a repeat of the 1947 Roswell "incident" if you're into that sort of thing. Here at MTV News we're more of what you might call "indoor kids," which is why we've foregone looking at the sky in favor of researching pictures of the hottest aliens in television and movie history.

Below we've compiled a list of our 21 favorite hot aliens, but just know that there are rules -- future-humans who happen to be from alien planets (like, say, Alderaan) are not included, but alien life forms hiding out in human bodies are fair game. Geronimo!

1. Thomas Jerome Newton, "The Man Who Fell To Earth"

British Lion Films

It's David Bowie, you guys.

2. Sil, "Species"

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Your boyfriend's favorite alien, at least until...

3. Leeloo, "The Fifth Element"

Gaumont Film Company

The alien who spawned a zillion Comic Con costumes.

4. Diva Plavalaguna, "The Fifth Element"

That voice! That body! That... hair?

5. Neytiri, "Avatar" (And Gamora, "Guardians of the Galaxy")

20th Century Fox

Walt Disney Studios

Props to Zoe Saldana for being the first person to be typecast as a hot alien. We haven't seen her kick ass as Gamora yet, but come on -- you know it's going to be sexy.

6. Thor, "Thor" (And "Thor 2", "The Avengers"...)

Those. Arms.

7. Loki, "Thor" (And "Thor 2", "The Avengers"...)

Don't worry, Internet -- we'd never forget your (and our) alien boyfriend.

8. Deanna Troi, "Star Trek: The Next Generation"

Half-human, half-Betazoid, full-on hottie.

9. The Tenth And Eleventh Doctors, "Doctor Who"

Two beautiful faces, one Time Lord.

10. Diana, "V"

Supreme Commander of Alien Hotness.

11. Serleena, "Men In Black 2"

Columbia Pictures

Turns out aliens have really great taste in lingerie.

12. Threes, Sixes, And Eights, "Battlestar Galactica"

Sci'Fi

Beautiful, intelligent, tough, and savvy enough to realize when their cohorts were full of crap.

13. Aayla Secura, "Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith"

This Twi'lek serves as more proof that blue looks good on everyone.

14. Spock, "Stark Trek"

Nimoy was the original, but Quinto landed Nyota Uhura.

15. Superman, "Man of Steel"

Warner Bros.

Okay, so we didn't love the movie, but that doesn't mean that Henry Cavill didn't wear the Super-suit better than anyone.

16. Celeste, "My Stepmother Is An Alien"

17. Starman, "Starman"

Soooo romantic.

18. Princess Aura, "Flash Gordon"

Universal Pictures

Makes being the daughter of an evil emperor look easy. And hot.

19. Marta, "Star Trek: The Original Series"

No man can resist an Orion woman!

20. Mac, "Earth Girls Are Easy"

Vestron Pictures

Years before Goldblum fought aliens (or, sorry, "gave them a cold") in "Independence Day," he was one in "Earth Girls Are Easy."

21. Edgar, "Men In Black"

Don't judge.

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• Cast & crew
• User reviews
• Episode aired Dec 6, 1968

Trapped in an alien laboratory, Kirk, Spock and McCoy meet an empath and are involved in a series of experiments. Trapped in an alien laboratory, Kirk, Spock and McCoy meet an empath and are involved in a series of experiments. Trapped in an alien laboratory, Kirk, Spock and McCoy meet an empath and are involved in a series of experiments.

• Gene Roddenberry
• Joyce Muskat
• Arthur H. Singer
• William Shatner
• Leonard Nimoy
• DeForest Kelley
• 42 User reviews
• 11 Critic reviews

• Captain James Tiberius 'Jim' Kirk

• Mister Spock

• Lieutenant Hadley
• (uncredited)
• Security Guard
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

• Trivia This was DeForest Kelley 's favourite episode.
• Goofs McCoy and Kirk's evaluation of Gem makes unwarranted inferences: that being an empath, being able to feel what others feel, somehow means having the ability to physically heal others, and that being mute also means being unable to understand speech.

Dr. McCoy : Well, we can't keep referring to her as 'she' as if she weren't here.

Captain James T. Kirk : D'you have any ideas?

Dr. McCoy : Well, I don't know about you, but I'm going to call her Gem.

Dr. McCoy : Gem, Doctor?

Dr. McCoy : Well, that's better than 'Hey, you'.

• Alternate versions Special Enhanced version Digitally Remastered with new exterior shots and remade opening theme song
• Connections Featured in Mr. Plinkett's Star Trek 2009 Review (2010)
• Soundtracks Theme Music credited to Alexander Courage Sung by Loulie Jean Norman

User reviews 42

• May 6, 2014
• December 6, 1968 (United States)
• United States
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• Norway Corporation
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• Runtime 51 minutes

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How Jennifer Lawrence Inspired a New Alien Heroine in 'Star Trek Beyond'

The Oscar winner served as the template for the film s young female warrior, down to her name

Jennifer Lawrence doesn’t actually make an appearance in the latest cinematic adventure of the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise, Star Trek Beyond , but she’s there in spirit as the inspiration behind one of the new film’s original characters.

Simon Pegg, who stars in the third film of the rebooted sci-fi film franchise as Chief Engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott and, as a Trek superfan, co-wrote the screenplay with Doug Jung, revealed that the 25-year-old Academy Award-winning actress was their muse when it came to introducing a tough extraterrestrial young woman his character encounters when the crew is stranded on an alien planet.

The character’s name is Jaylah. Sound familiar?

The inspiration did not come from Lawrence’s role as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games , but for the breakout role in Winter’s Bone that elevated her to Hollywood’s A-list in 2010.

“Doug and I and [director] Justin Lin in the writing room wanted to create this very independent female, very resourceful character on the [planet’s] surface,” Pegg said during the Star Trek Beyond press conference in Beverly Hills on Thursday. “We didn’t have a name for her, so we used to call her ‘Jennifer Lawrence in Winter’s Bone .’ ”

“And so we thought, ‘And then Scotty lands there and suddenly Jennifer Lawrence in Winter’s Bone comes out and she fights these guys,’ ” continued Pegg. “And it started to get tiring calling her ‘Jennifer Lawrence in Winter’s Bone .’ It’s a long name! So we started calling her J-Law, and then she became Jaylah. So she’s named after Jennifer Lawrence in Winter’s Bone .”

In Winter’s Bone , Lawrence plays a destitute but determined teenage woman caring for her siblings while searching for her missing father. Pegg said the addition of Jaylah, a skilled physical fighter and instinctive tactician stranded on a dangerous world, to the familiar Trek cast of characters was a welcome, much-needed addition to the film.

“There aren’t enough girls in Star Trek ,” he said, noting that Zoe Saldana, who plays classic Trek character Uhura, “has a lot on her shoulders, so we wanted to increase that.”

VIDEO: This Is a Dance Party We Can Get In On! Watch Jennifer Lawrence & Jimmy Fallon’s Instructional Dance Videos

He was impressed by Sofia Boutella, the Algerian actress who was cast as Jaylah after an impressive stint as the artificially limbed assassin Gazelle in Kingsman: The Secret Service . She next stars at the titular reanimated ancient Egyptian queen opposite Tom Cruise in The Mummy .

“Sofia’s incredible, because she’s a dancer and she’s physically so adept so she was very up for the physicality of it,” said Pegg. “We all love Sofia, don’t we? She’s a nutcase and a golden addition to this group.”

Star Trek Beyond hits theaters July 22.

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Star Trek: The 15 Fiercest Females Of The Final Frontier

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Criminal minds: evolution season 2, episodes 1 & 2 review: the two-part premiere makes things weirder & more personal for the bau, every jurassic world: camp cretaceous season, ranked.

While Star Trek is known for its commitment to progressive ideals, it, like so much of sci-fi, can't resist an opportunity to insert eye-candy here and there. The original series really leaned into female sexuality as set dressing, evidenced by Kirk's numerous "relationships," and the mini-dresses and go-go boots that constitute military uniforms in the 22nd century. It was a huge contradiction in terms, but that was mitigated by the fact that Star Trek was culturally groundbreaking in so many other ways (see: treatment of racism) and eventually evolved to grant women far more respectful treatment in its later spin-offs.

RELATED:  15 Minimalist Superhero Cosplays That Will Blow Your Mind

However, despite the fact that female characters on The Next Generation and beyond were the first ones whose episodes would actually pass a Bechdel Test, producers still couldn't resist sneaking in a certain physical appeal wherever they could. Star Trek's general lack of focus on such visuals post- TOS made for a lot of very appealing scientists or criminals, so that's most of what you're going to see on this list. We've grabbed 15 of the hottest Star Trek babes from the franchise's long and storied history, but the list is based on more than just appearance. Every woman on it is stunning, but for their actions as well as their looks.

15 SEVEN OF NINE

Jeri Ryan's Seven of Nine beamed aboard Star Trek: Voyager in the Season 4 premier, "Scorpion Pt. 2." The lost starship had just arrived at the backdoor of Borg space with no realistic way to travel through it without getting assimilated. Fortunately, Voyager and the Borg realized they shared a common enemy in Species 8472, so the two entities formed an uneasy alliance. Seven of Nine served as the Borg envoy, but was stranded aboard Voyager after the destruction of her cube and the end of the alliance.

The official word on the creation of Seven of Nine is that the producers wanted a character who would have a more antagonistic relationship with Captain Janeway than the show had ever featured. Unofficially, the show's key demographic at the time (teenage boys) clearly needed more motivation to watch. Luckily for all the young women watching, Seven of Nine turned out to be a dynamic character that truly enriched the story.

14 UHURA IN THE MIRROR UNIVERSE

Somehow, the Mirror Universe has the same effect on everyone as the Kelvin Universe -- everyone's hotter. Spock has a goatee, Kirk's into cutoff sleeves and Uhura somehow finds less to wear. In the original Star Trek  classic, "Mirror, Mirror," Kirk, McCoy, Scotty and Uhura go to a neighboring alternate universe where everyone's the jerk version of themselves. It's amazing, and the episode spawned a delightful subplot that would show up again in longer story arcs on Deep Space Nine and Enterprise .

We're very glad it did. The Mirror Universe is Star Trek camp at its indulgent best, and seeing the dark side of our favorite, goody-two-shoes Federation never fails to entertain. When Uhura impersonates her Mirror-counterpart and tries to seduce Sulu ON THE BRIDGE, we always get goosebumps and the giggles at the same time.

13 JADZIA DAX

The planet Trill is home to two species that share a symbiotic relationship with each other. The humanoids play host to symbionts, sentient, worm-like entities that merge consciousness with the host body. Jadzia was the eighth home for the Dax symbiont, and the young woman gained the memories of all those joined lifetimes when they were merged.

That meant Jadzia Dax was a combination of, among others, a grandmother, a pilot, a gymnast, a murderer and a very popular Federation diplomat named Curzon. Curzon Dax had been good friends with and mentor to a young Benjamin Sisko, so when Jadzia was assigned to Deep Space Nine, Sisko often still referred to her as "Old Man." Somehow, that made this bespotted, brunette bombshell even more attractive. That, and she really knows her way around a bat'leth.

12 MARTIA (IMAN)

Iman snagged one of the meatier cameos in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (Christian Slater has a blink-and-you-missed-it scene in which he plays a fanboy ensign who delivers a message to Kirk's quarters). After Kirk and McCoy are framed for the murder of Klingon Chancellor Gorkon, they're sent to a remote, frozen penal colony on Rura Penthe. As soon as Kirk arrives, he gets into a scuffle with a much larger alien prisoner, and bodacious alien babe, Martia, comes to his rescue.

Think if Tank Girl was a runway model and smoked cigars -- oh, and she's shapeshifter. Unfortunately, she's also morally bankrupt and has already promised the Klingons who framed Kirk and McCoy that she would off the Starfleet officers in return for a suspended sentence. It, uh, doesn't work out well for her.

Picard wasn't exactly the lothario Kirk was, so when he did ever close the deal, it was front page news, especially when the other side of that deal was basically his polar opposite. Vash (Jennifer Hetrick) first appeared in "Captain's Holiday," a.k.a. "Picard's Staff Makes Him Take a Personal Day." Picard goes to Risa to relax, but he's terrible at it, so he winds up getting involved in an archeological caper with Vash, a gorgeous and morally flexible archeologist.

She's searching for an artifact called the Tox Uthat (¯\_(ツ)_/¯), but she's on the run from a jealous Ferengi, so she enlists Jean-Luc to help her beat the little troll to the treasure. Along the way, Picard falls for her ne'er-do-well charms -- so much so that he completely overlooks it when he finds out she's been playing him the entire time.

10 ORION SLAVE WOMEN

Ahh, the Orion Slave Girl -- the semi-offensive plot device beloved by cosplayers the world over. They're one of Star Trek's oldest creations, dating back to the original, unaired pilot, "The Cage," and they're well known for their extreme... prowess . It's literally their only defining characteristic when they're mentioned in every other Star Trek until Enterprise .

In the episode, "Bound," it's discovered that part of the secret to their prowess is the intense quantity of pheromones the women emit. Not only are the girls said to have voracious appetites, they also inspire them in any men who happen by. These qualities made them a hot commodity on the Orion Slave Market, despite the fact that they were Orions themselves. The Orion Syndicate was never known for their scruples, after all.

9 NUMBER ONE

Majel Barrett-Roddenberry is Star Trek royalty for like, 10 different reasons. She voiced the computer, she was Gene Roddenberry's wife, and before she was any of that, she appeared as Number One in the original unaired original series pilot, "The Cage." An example of Roddenberry's progressive ideals, she played Number One, Captain Christopher Pike's notably female first officer.

Unfortunately, one of the (many) things NBC rejected in this first offering was the placement of a women in such a position of power. Transporters they could swallow, but a woman in the chain of command? Preposterous! Luckily for the future Mrs. Roddenberry, that wasn't the end of her Star Trek career, but we do wish we could've seen more of this lady. It would've been nice to see an attractive woman on the show rockin' it in something else besides a mini-dress.

8 MARLENA MOREAU

Remember how we said everyone's hotter in the Mirror Universe? Marelena Moreau is the exception that proves the rule -- she's smokin' in all universes. A perk of being a starship captain in the Terran Empire as opposed to the Federation is that the position comes with a Captain's Woman. It's not a formalized role, but it's an unwritten rule that everything on the ship belongs to the captain, and that includes the women. (The Mirror Universe is genuinely terrible, not just fun terrible.)

Marlena is Mirror Kirk's lady, and she yearns for a better life when she encounters NiceKirk in "Mirror, Mirror." She wants to abandon her universe for his, but despite the fact that he literally just slept with her, he refuses. Kirk looks sad for a minute, but then NiceMarlena gets assigned to the NiceEnterprise and everyone lives happily ever after (except MirrorMarlena, who is probably dead).

7 ROMULAN COMMANDER

"The Enterprise Incident" was the first time we met the Romulans, the Federation's eternally shady adversaries. Kirk suddenly loses his damn mind and takes the Enterprise into Romulan Space (apparently unprovoked). The ship encounters a Romulan squadron commanded by the as yet unnamed female Romulan Commander. Despite the fact that she only appeared in one episode and has remained nameless for the past 50 years, she's still an unforgettable character.

She's disdainful of Kirk and the other humans, but Spock really gets her engines going. She attempts to seduce him into joining her, and it is the only time we ever get to see Spock Prime approach the sex bomb we all knew was hiding under that Vulcan logic. Unfortunately, Kirk isn't insane, but on a secret mission to gather intelligence about the Romulans, so Spock and the Romulan Commander never consummate their forbidden love. DAMMIT.

6 KELVIN UHURA

Zoe Saldana's Uhura is an accomplished, passionate officer aboard Kirk's Enterprise. What was minor flirtation between the Prime Uhura and Spock became a full-fledged relationship in the Abrams movies. It offered audiences a chance to see Spock explore his humanity in a romantic relationship as well as in his friendship with Kirk. Zoe Saldana's vivacious and fierce personality is a phenomenal counterpart to the restrained logic of her partner's.

That said, she can make out with Spock all she wants, she's still hottest when she's standing toe-to-toe with a Klingon three times her size and learning languages in five minutes. Nichelle Nichols' Uhura was groundbreaking and Saldana's reimagined Uhura takes the best parts of the original and beautifully updates her for modern audiences. It makes us wish Prime Uhura yelled at Spock more.

5 MIRROR EZRI

After Jadzia's death at the end of DS9's sixth season, the writers introduced Ezri Dax -- the accidental 9th host of the Dax symbiont. Ezri was on the shuttle transporting the Dax symbiont back to Trill when an equipment malfunction made it necessary to join Dax with a new host immediately. So, when she arrived on DS9 months after Jadzia's death in possession of all the former hosts' memories, it made things awkward.

It also made things awkward that Ezri was pretty uncomfortable with herself -- not only was she green by Starfleet standards, she had also never planned on getting joined to a symbiont. Luckily, we got a seventh season Mirror Universe episode where we got a look at Ezri's more confident, more... into girls side. In this universe she's a mercenary who's become a favorite makeout buddy of Kira's Mirror Counterpart, the Intendant.

Continuing the tradition of catsuited ice queens started by Seven of Nine, T'Pol (Jolene Blalock) was a Vulcan attaché to the Enterprise under Captain Archer. And, like Seven of Nine, despite the fact that her appearance was gratuitously sexual, the conflicted Vulcan is brought to life beautifully by Blalock, and watching her navigate her at-first tenuous relationship with humanity remains compelling. And guess what??! She's got a Mirror Universe counterpart, too!

That T'Pol is a little edgier than NiceT'Pol, but she's still the only person worth rooting for on the "other" Enterprise. When the Defiant travels back in time to the 22nd century, she assists NiceArcher and Co. in making sure her universe doesn't succeed in keeping the technologically advanced ship. She definitely looks like a Vulcan Barbie while she's doing it, but it's kind of a campy, refreshing change from her normal wardrobe.

3 DEANNA TROI

While Deanna's certainly no Orion Slave Girl (perish the thought), she's still TNG's primary sex symbol (well, second to Riker sitting down). Make no mistake, she's a lady, but she's also a Betazoid. That means she's empathic and really, really comfortable with nudity. She's also brainy enough to be a psychologist, make it into Starfleet and get out of wearing a uniform (most of the time).

But given her history with Commander William "John Mayer" Riker and her numerous romantic relationships, Deanna definitely enjoyed her sexuality and that makes her even more of a bombshell. Or maybe it was the fact that she was one of the few people on the senior staff that wasn't constantly repressing urges. We're raising our eyebrows at you Picard, Crusher, Worf and Geordi.

2 THE INTENDANT

Like we said, EVERYONE is hotter in the Mirror Universe. The same is obviously true of the Intendant, Kira Nerys' Mirror Counterpart on DS9 . At this point in the Mirror Universe Timeline, the Terran Empire featured on TOS and Enterprise had finally been defeated by an ironic alliance between the Klingons and the Cardassians. The Terrans were enslaved and DS9 (Terok Nor once more) served as an Alliance outpost under Kira's command.

She's actively the polar opposite of NiceKira, fond of both torture and deception. She's a blast, though -- she runs around in a catsuit, wears a crown and is usually half-seducing anyone she shares a screen with (including NiceKira -- that was weird). While she's an undeniable villain and we'd never (EVER) want to meet her IRL, we can't help but admire how she's unapologetically living her best life.

1 CAROL MARCUS

Carol Marcus has a pivotal role to play in the Prime Star Trek  universe, so it was fitting when she showed up in Star Trek: Into Darkness . In Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan , she's an accomplished scientist who's revealed to be Kirk's ex-lover and the mother of his only son, David. In Into Darkness , Alice Eve took over the role as a much younger scientist who fakes her way onto Kirk's ship in order to investigate 72 very mysterious photon torpedoes.

As of now, it doesn't look like the character will reappear any time soon, so Kelvin Kirk is childless for the time being. You'll probably have noticed that everyone's hotter in the Kelvin Universe, and that fact got hammered home in Marcus' famous Starfleet-issue undies shot. Some fans grumbled at the scene's gratuitous nature, but compared to  TOS , the Abrams movies are still pretty tame.

Which ladies of Star Trek make you want to boldly go? Let us know in the comments!

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Star Trek Discovery will feature female lead, new aliens and possibly old faces

Plus, what event the show will focus on

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Star Trek Discovery showrunner Bryan Fuller says that the newest Star Trek series will focus on a female lead as she explores space and tries to understand the different species and people she meets through her journeys.

Fuller addressed press at the Television Critics Association conference in Los Angeles on Wednesday and said while he couldn't give too much away, they were currently in the casting process for the lead actor — who will play a lieutenant instead of the captain. When asked why Fuller and the writing team —which includes Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry's son, Rod — decided to make the character a lieutenant instead of a captain, Fuller said that he wanted to change up Star Trek as it entered a new age.

"The story that's fascinating for me now is not from the captain's perspective," Fuller said. "We've seen six series from the captain's point of view and we wanted to do something different."

"We'll probably have some more aliens than usual in our cast"

For Fuller, the most important part of Discovery will be about this character's journey and the self-discovery she experiences while meeting people. Fuller said that in many ways, the show reflects what's happening in the world today as people try to understand what others are going through and trying to understand why people do certain things. He added that the biggest realization the character will encounter is that she'll never be able to fully understand why the universe operates the way it does and she'll have to embrace that.

"It's about this woman's journey to understand something that is so completely foreign to her that she has to understand herself first," Fuller said. "It's a complete inaccuracy because we can't imagine who they are or what they're thinking because we aren't them."

Even though the character hasn't been cast, Fuller said that the number one thing on their mind is diversity. While the role will ultimately go to the actor that they think is best suited for it, one of the aspects about Star Trek that Fuller has always loved is its commitment to having a diverse cast. As questions come up about why women — and women of color especially — are still facing major issues in the science and tech industries, Fuller wants to use his show as a vehicle to address some of those concerns. Still, he reiterated that he hadn't cast the actress yet, so didn't want to make any promises.

" Star Trek started with a wonderful diversity in its cast," Fuller said. "Infinite diversity in infinite combinations, as Spock would say. We are absolutely continuing that tradition. We'll probably have some more aliens than usual in our cast, too."

Fuller couldn't give too much information about how many aliens would appear in the series, but did confirm that one of the aliens would be named Saru.

Fuller confirmed this would be a new species of aliens that fans of the show haven't seen and was just one of many new alien species they had fun coming up with in the writers room. On top of introducing a variety of new aliens, however, Fuller said they were going to redesigning some familiar species and hoped that Star Trek fans would appreciate the new look.

"With Star Trek, it's a combination of the lighter tones and the darker tones of my previous shows," Fuller said. "What is going to be the aesthetic and feel of the new Star Trek series? We looked at an abandoned Star Trek series from the '70s and James Bond type cars from the '70s, so there's a lot of that influence."

Fuller added that because they were still in development, images that they've shown off at events like Comic-Con are also outdated. The new ship, for example, already looks much different than it did in the video they showed off just a couple of weeks ago in San Diego. Fuller said everything on the show is a work in progress and it's a group effort to decide what makes it into the show and what doesn't.

"It's about this woman's journey to understand something that is so completely foreign to her"

"We want to give everyone an idea of what the ship looks like," Fuller said. "We want to give them that inside look, but it's an evolution and we're finding it as we go."

What Fuller does know for certain, though, is when the show takes place. The events of Discovery will take place ten years before Captain James T. Kirk starts his five-year mission in the original series. That means that certain characters — like Amanda Grayson, otherwise known as Spock's mother — could potentially make an appearance. When pressed about whether she would or not, Fuller smirked.

"Maybe," he offered coyly. "It could happen. It's in the realm of possibilities."

The events of Discovery will also be recognizable to hardcore Trek fans, Fuller said. The event, which is referenced in the original series but is never fully explored, is something that has been discussed heavily between fans, and it's the starting point Fuller wanted to kick off from. As a diehard Trek fan himself, he said that he thought it would make a perfect event to focus on for a serialized series; the first that doesn't operate as strictly episodic in the Trek television universe.

"One of the things that's exciting for me as a Star Trek fan is the history of Starfleet," Fuller said. "There was an event that was talked about but never fully explored and we're excited to explore that for the first time."

The 13-episode Star Trek Discovery is set to premiere in January 2017 on CBS All Access in Canada and the United States. The weekly show will be available to those in other countries to stream the day-after on Netflix.

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Top 10 Best Star Trek Female Characters, Ranked From Romulans to Illyrians

It’s not easy coming up with the  best Star Trek female characters , because there are so many to choose from. We wish we could name every one of them since there have been amazing female characters throughout the original Star Trek series, The Next Generation, and the recent Strange New Worlds. But this bodes well for the franchise, providing an excellent balance between male and female characters that’s helped elevate Star Trek beyond the confines of any world. Without further ado, let’s check out the list.

10. Romulan Commander

The first time the Federation’s deadliest enemy was introduced was in the original series episode The Enterprise Incident. Kirk gives in to his daring nature and takes his Enterprise ship into Romulan territory, where he encounters a squadron. What makes this character even more significant is the fact that she remains unnamed to this day and yet is such an important milestone for Star Trek canon and history.

While Kirk attempts to gather intel on the Romulans, the commander is fascinated by Spock and tries to persuade him to join her. It becomes apparent she might have a romantic inclination toward him. After inviting Spock to dinner, she explains how Romulan women are passionate when compared to logical Vulcan women. Spock is put on edge, but resists her offer and maintains his loyalty. All along, Spock was helping Kirk steal the invaluable cloaking device to help advance the Federation’s technology. At the end of the episode, the Romulan commander is captured aboard the Enterprise and held as a prisoner. In a moment of privacy, Spock admits that his romantic interest in her was not pretended.

9. Philippa Georgiou

Georgiou is a Malaysian human who became one of the Starfleet Academy’s most decorated officers and the captain of U.S.S. Shenzou. During a routine activity, her crew encountered the hostile Klingon Empire and things quickly escalated into an event known as the Battle at the Binary Stars before becoming the catalyst to the Klingon-Federation War. Georgiou lost her life to the leader of the Klingons, T’Kuvma, as she tried to capture him on his ship in an attempt to prevent the war. She is a smart and driven commander who will go down in Star Trek history for her sacrifice.

8. Elizabeth Shelby

Commander Elizabeth Shelby has a bit of notoriety to her name, mostly owing to her rivalry with Commander William T. Riker. After confidently believing she would replace him as Captain Picard’s first officer, Riker didn’t take too kindly to her after his promotion to commander of U.S.S. Melbourne. To Shelby’s chagrin, she ended up becoming Riker’s first officer. Elizabeth has a similar personality to Admiral James T. Kirk in that she is a risk-taker when the greater good is involved.

As such, she ended up going over Riker’s head when leading an away team to investigate a Borg attack, and went so far as to lead another team to rescue Picard when the Borg kidnapped him. She eventually moved up the ranks to be a commanding officer herself, and it would be great to find out more about her in future shows.

7. Deanna Troi

Deanna Troi is a standout character not just due to her exoticness, but also because of her half-human, half-Betazoid hybrid race. This mixed-race is what gave her telepathic abilities (though decreased in their effectiveness), and those powers were perfect for the crew’s counselor. She brought prominence to this Starfleet position and proved the most valuable assets to have in space are communication and empathy.

On many occasions, her abilities helped smooth things out during turbulent encounters, and she survived many different scenarios including being surgically altered, impersonating Romulans, and figuring out when others were lying. Deanna eventually married Riker and did more than enough to secure her legacy in Star Trek canon and history.

6. Michael Burnham

Michael has great importance to Star Trek canon, bringing more diversity while also being the main protagonist on the Star Trek: Discovery series despite not acting as the captain. Her story overshadows her captain Gabriel Lorca, and while she served under Captain Phillippa Georgiou, she would commit mutiny and injure Phillippa in order to force the U.S.S. Shenzhou to preemptively attack the Klingons. After being a part of the Klingon-Federation war’s inciting incident, Captain Lorca reduced her sentence since he wanted crew members dedicated to defeating the Klingons.

Her backstory is unique in that she was a human raised by Klingons, and none other than Spock’s father, Sarek, specifically. Not a typical Star Trek character, Michael is a complicated woman, most likely created under modern characterization precepts, and it will be interesting to see how her story develops.

5. Beverly Crusher

Talk about an intimidating name. Beverly Crusher is an all-around amazing female character, and not at all an aggressive one like her last name might suggest. She served as the chief medical officer on both Enterprise-D and Enterprise-E, and was a main crew member on Star Trek: The Next Generation. She was also a loving mother to Wesley Crusher and after her husband’s tragic passing, developed a close bond with Picard that blurred the lines between friendship and romance.

Beverly Crusher is controversial in that many wished she was further developed than what was allowed on screen in the Star Trek the Next Generation shows and movies. Her closeness to Picard also rallied fans to request her to have a main role in the Picard series, and many non-canonical books were written about the pairing, and the life they share together, along with their son.

4. Seven of Nine

Seven of Nine’s name should state the obvious; there’s nothing quite like her. Although human, she was a former Borg drone, meaning she was part of the Borg Collective until she was liberated by Kathryn Janeway and her U.S.S. Voyager crew. As an assimilated Borg, she was taken by them and enhanced with cybernetics. In the case of Seven of Nine, or Annika Hansen, she was abducted at the age of six and dubbed Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero One.

After her complex and traumatic upbringing, she becomes nuanced and complicated aboard the U.S.S. Voyager. She brings many deep, dramatic, and thematic elements to Star Trek, portraying a character that demands respect, patience, and understanding. After all, consider the fact that she was kidnapped as a child, forced to become a Borg drone, and then has difficulty assimilating with her human peers (let alone other races), while also having to suppress an urge to rejoin the Borg. For the show, she brought plenty of tense moments, as well as emotional scenes, funny moments, and butt-kicking action.

3. Nyota Uhura

Uhura has seen different incarnations throughout the various Star Trek series and movies, and Strange New Worlds has really taken her to the next level. Her latest on-screen portrayal brings a balanced sense of vulnerability, strengths, weaknesses, and backstory. Although she begins as a communications officer aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise, she eventually achieves the rank of commander of the U.S.S. Leondegrance for her remaining services to the Starfleet.

She can also be considered the first true standout female character or lead and deserves it completely. Uhura brings a great amount of diversity and unique themes to explore. As the expert linguist on her crew, and with her potential to grow, we’re looking forward to seeing more of her on a regular basis.

2. Number One / Una Chin-Riley

As her designated name states, Number One is the first officer to Pike, and ranks just shy of the number one spot on this list. In the original series, she was only referred to as Number One but was later named Una Chin-Riley in several non-canon Star Trek novels. It’s great how Strange New Worlds finally solidifies her name as canon. Also in the new series, Una is given a more involved role and is attached to a key plot involving Pike’s destiny. Since she’s an Illyrian, she’s genetically modified, which is also why she looks like a human, while her kind normally does not.

From the beginning of the Strange New Worlds series, Starfleet makes it clear that they are anti-genetically modified beings. This puts her in a terrible position, and in direct defiance of Federation law. Regardless, she’s already had spotlight episodes where she’s saved the crew from a deadly virus, and has special empathy when it comes to forming bonds with fellow crew members. The fact that she risks it all to help her crewmates and perform her duties to better mankind makes her all the more compelling and one to root for.

1. Kathryn Janeway

Kathryn Janeway is an iconic female character that hasn’t received as much attention as she should, especially in recent Star Trek lore and media. In Starfleet history, she remains one of the most highly decorated captains and is notoriously known for her obsession with coffee. On a more serious note, one of her most notable accomplishments is how she took command of the U.S.S. Voyager as it made its way through the dangerous Delta Quadrant, which is home to the Borg Collective. Thanks to her leadership, the Voyager was able to bring the crew safely back to earth through a Borg transwarp conduit.

Her time as a commander also gained her another milestone which she achieved during her space exploration. It’s been estimated in various episodes how she’s made first contact with more alien races than James T. Kirk. She eventually gets promoted to the rank of Admiral after helping prevent another technologically advanced species from the Delta Quadrant, the Vau N’Akat, from destroying the Federation. To top it off, she defeated the Borg Queen and has a diverse background full of hobbies, passions, and scientific skills. Most of all, she comes across as being a balanced leader; one who is smart, decisive, and strong, but also kind, caring, and understanding. No other female character has been involved in so many Star Trek critical events and achieved so much, which makes her deserving of this top spot.

That’s our list of the top best Star Trek female characters , but the great thing about this franchise is that it has always been a pioneer for portraying powerful women of diverse races, ages, and cultures. There are way more than 10 great female characters in the Star Trek mythos, and new prominent female characters are being introduced all the time. If you’re a Star Trek fan, you owe it to yourself to check out the video game, Resurgence .

Den of Geek

The Star Trek Next Generation Character That Was Originally Drastically Different

Early plans for Star Trek: The Next Generation had very different conceptions of the main cast, including a security chief inspired by a space marine from Aliens.

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Yaphet Kotto as Jean-Luc Picard? Wesley Snipes as Geordi? Jenny Agutter as Dr. Crusher?

Gene Roddenberry considered all of these actors for Star Trek: The Next Generation before casting Patrick Stewart , LeVar Burton, and Gates McFadden. However, the most surprising alternate idea for a TNG character involved Tasha Yar, the ill-fated security chief aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise .

The Tale of Macha Hernandez

The TNG series bible, released before the show premiered as a guide for writers and actors, describes Yar in terms similar, if not completely one-to-one, with the character we know from the series. “Born at a ‘failed’ Earth colony of renegades and other violent undesirables, she escaped to Earth in her teens and discovered Starfleet, which she still ‘worships’ today as the complete opposite of all the ugliness she once knew,” the description explains.

Portrayed by Denise Crosby, Tasha Yar did show great loyalty to Picard and the Enterprise , even if that loyalty fell short of “worship.” And though we knew she had a terrible childhood, the full details wouldn’t be known until the season four episode “Legacy.”

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But the very first description written for Yar in preparation for auditions was very different. So different, in fact, that she wasn’t even called Tasha Yar.

“LT. Macha Hernandez – 26 year old woman of unspecified Latin descent who serves as the starship’s security chief,” read the first casting call for TNG . “She is described as having a new quality of conditioned-body-beauty, a fire in her eyes and muscularly well developed and very female body, but keeping in mind that much of her strength comes from attitude. Macha has an almost obsessive devotion to protecting the ship and its crew and treats Capt. Picard and Number One as if they were saints.”

If a space-fairing Latina warrior with muscles and an attitude sounds familiar, it should.

Macha Hernandez’s description also matches Vasquez, the standout space marine from Aliens . Portrayed by Jenette Goldstein, who also appeared in director James Cameron ‘s Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Titanic , Vasquez was the standout in a space marine corps filled with colorful characters. While the other marines struggled to shake off their cryosleep (save for Al Matthews’ Sgt. Apone, of course), Vasquez starts doing pull ups and fending off dumb jokes from Hudson ( Bill Paxton ).

Every single line that Vasquez delivers is an all-timer. When the xenomorphs descend upon the marines and overwhelm them, Vasquez shouts “Let’s rock!” and starts blowing them away. She’s got a fantastic final line, telling Gorman (William Hope) just before they both die in an explosion, “You always were an asshole.”

Unsurprisingly, the first actor the producers considered for the role of Macha was Goldstein, but how the heck would a character like that fit on the deck of the Enterprise ? Especially while Roddenberry was in charge? After all, the man was famous for restricting conflict among the crew, which accounts for many of the bumps in TNG ‘s infamously uneven first season. It’s hard to see how even a TV-softened version of Vasquez could work on TNG .

Part of the answer is in the casting announcement. Macha is loyal to the Federation and Picard. So while there would surely be moments in which Macha would have leaned toward violence, a word from Picard would have made her stand down, as often happened with Worf.

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Beside Goldstein, another early frontrunner to play the character that would become Tasha Yar was Marina Sirtis. No, the English daughter of Greek parents isn’t at all Latina. But for television producers of the 1980s, brown hair was enough to signify “unspecified Latin descent.” And Goldstein isn’t actually Latina either despite playing a Latina woman in Aliens .

Interestingly, the original description for Deanna Troi said the character was a “cool, Icelandic blonde, almost Spock-like,” according to Crosby . “Marina [Sirtis] was reading for Tasha. Somewhere, about the second or third audition, Gene Roddenberry had this idea: Let’s just switch them and see what happens.”

From Macha to Tasha

When Denise Crosby became the frontrunner for the Security Officer, not even the most incurious casting director could see her as someone named Macha Hernandez. Instead, the show rewrote the character as the Ukrainian-descended Tasha Yar. With the Hernandez connection severed, most callbacks to Vasquez disappeared as well. Yar became a tough character who was told to stop fighting much more than she actually fought, unfortunately turning her into a bit of a boring presence on the Enterprise deck. Yar died an ignoble death in the 23rd episode of season 1, “Skin of Evil,” but it’s hard to begrudge all involved for abandoning the character.

Of course, Crosby did get to return in various forms throughout the show’s run, getting a proper send off for Yar in the wonderful “Yesterday’s Enterprise” and then getting to play the fun villain Sela. And Goldstein eventually found her way to Starfleet too, as a science officer aboard the Enterprise -B in Star Trek Generations and voicing the Enterprise computer on Short Treks .

Even better, the other attempt to pull from Aliens was much more successful. Roddenberry and the other TNG creators loved Lance Henriksen’s gentle but still uncanny take on an android as Bishop. They looked to that quality for Data, which they first found in actor Mark Lindsay Chapman before going with Brent Spiner . Spiner proved to be the ideal choice, not just because he brought Bishop’s disquieting kindness to Data, but also because he could expand on the character to make him unique and not just knock-off.

With time and the right casting, would Macha Hernandez have also become a distinct and beloved character? Maybe under Yaphet Kotto’s Picard and alongside Wesley Snipes’ LaForge.

Joe George | @jageorgeii

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

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Final Episode of Star Trek Discovery Promises Powerful Conclusion

The much-anticipated conclusion of Star Trek: Discovery is just around the corner. As the series prepares to wrap up with its episode titled Life, Itself, which premieres this Thursday on Paramount+, fans are set for an exciting journey full of closure and reflection.

An Unforgettable Journey Ends

Sonequa Martin-Green remains front and center as the resourceful Capt. Michael Burnham. Martin-Green’s character goes through a significant evolution in the final season of ‘Star Trek: Discovery’.

This season wraps up with a thrilling race against time, as the crew searches for powerful technology created by an ancient alien race to prevent a potential cataclysm.

A Pioneering Show

Since its debut in 2017 on CBS All Access (now Paramount+), Discovery has carved out a unique place within the Star Trek universe. The series was set ten years before Captain Kirk’s iconic era and initially concentrated not on a captain but on Michael Burnham, a complex character portrayed by a Black woman raised by Vulcans.

This innovative angle brought new dimensions into the Star Trek franchise. One memorable early scene showed Martin-Green as Burnham alongside Michelle Yeoh as Capt. Philippa Georgiou exploring an alien planet. These two strong female leads marked a significant shift in sci-fi representation.

The Evolution of Characters and Expectations

The series also introduced notable characters like Ethan Peck’s Spock and Anson Mount’s Christopher Pike. Viewers found out that Spock was the estranged brother of Michael Burnham during his debut in the second season of ‘Star Trek: Discovery’.

Pike’s brief appearance at the end of Season 1 set the stage perfectly for more expansive storytelling in subsequent spin-offs such as Star Trek: Strange New Worlds .

A Legacy Not to Be Underestimated

The first season also featured compelling characters like Jason Isaacs’ wartime leader Captain Lorca . As Isaacs noted about his role, Lorca’s relatively simple on that front. He’s a very good wartime leader…you have to dehumanize them, or else you’ll let them kill you.

A Series Honoring Its Roots

Evidently, despite some criticized moments—like its bold nine-century time jump at the end of Season 2— Discovery ‘s contributions to the franchise can’t be ignored.

The focus on serialized storytelling with a mixture of familiar and new elements allowed other series like Strange New Worlds and Picard to thrive. Kudos to Discovery , for its critical role in expanding the Star Trek universe for contemporary audiences!

Steve Delikson

I cover updates on the latest celebrity gossip, TV show ratings, and interviews with actors and actresses from popular shows. I also do recaps of episodes and predictions for future storylines. My articles are an excellent resource for television fans looking to stay up-to-date on the latest happenings in the entertainment industry.

• View history
• 2 Mirror universe
• 4.1 Appearances
• 4.2.1 Origins
• 4.2.2 First appearances
• 4.2.3 Reappearances
• 4.2.4 Reception and likenesses
• 4.3 Apocrypha

History [ ]

Talosians were once a warp-capable , technologically advanced culture but a nuclear holocaust left their planet virtually uninhabitable and killed most of the species.

The survivors of the nuclear war congregated in underground dwellings, where they became dependent upon their own mental powers , which they used to create stunningly real illusions, an ability that had been developed by their ancestors. As their mental powers grew, they lost the ability to use the technology left behind by their ancestors.

The Talosians found that life using illusion was addictive, almost like a Human developing a physical and psychological dependence on narcotics . They became bored with the content of the illusions which they had. Their dependence upon these illusions for mental stimuli caused the Talosians to begin capturing space travelers to use as the living basis for their illusions.

In 2236 , the SS Columbia , carrying members of the American Continent Institute from Earth , crashed on Talos IV. All aboard were killed, save for one Human: a badly injured female named Vina . The Talosians repaired her injuries, but their work left her disfigured, as the Talosians were unfamiliar with Human anatomy . Using their powers of illusion, Vina could live as if she was uninjured and was made to appear abnormally beautiful.

A sketch of a Talosian from the Enterprise 's computer

In 2254 , the Talosians captured USS Enterprise Captain Christopher Pike and attempted to use him to rebuild their civilization. The Talosians hoped that Pike would be attracted to Vina and would wish to remain on Talos IV. Thousands of the Talosians probed Pike's thoughts, discovering he had "excellent memory capacity ." However, after assimilating the records of the Enterprise , the Talosians learned that Humans have a "unique hatred of captivity;" even when made as pleasant as possible, Humans prefer death. This made Humans unsuitable to the Talosians for breeding stock, and Pike and his crew were released.

The Talosians refused Pike's offer of trade and mutual understanding, claiming that Humans would use their powers of illusion to their own destruction, as the Talosians had inflicted on themselves. After Vina's true appearance was revealed, she was given back not only her illusion of beauty, but an illusory Pike to keep her company. ( TOS : " The Cage ")

In 2257 , Christopher Pike's science officer , Lieutenant Spock , began experiencing time non-linearly after an encounter with the being known as the Red Angel . Spock exhibited symptoms of a mental disorder, but was able to repeat the coordinates of Talos IV backwards, which he recalled from his previous visit with Pike. Brought to Talos IV by his adoptive sister Michael Burnham , the Talosians and Vina agreed to help heal Spock, and later assisted in their escape from the planet by projecting illusions on to the Section 31 ship NCIA-93 , making Leland think that he had beamed them aboard while Burnham and Spock had actually escaped in a shuttlecraft. ( DIS : " If Memory Serves ")

This same compassion was again shown ten years later, when the Talosians collaborated with Pike's former science officer, the now- Commander Spock, to bring Pike back to Talos IV (even though Spock's participation in this effort involved defying Starfleet general orders and illegally taking command of the Enterprise ). As Pike was himself a prisoner of his own body after an accident involving delta rays , the Talosians assisted with his return so he could live out the rest of his life virtually free from his useless body. ( TOS : " The Menagerie, Part I ", " The Menagerie, Part II ")

Mirror universe [ ]

In the mirror universe , the Talosians attempted to trick Terran emperor Philippa Georgiou with their mental projections. In response, Georgiou had their civilization 'blasted from the face of Talos IV'. Georgiou noted this to Leland after Section 31 discovered the power of the Talosians to create illusions. ( DIS : " If Memory Serves ")

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• " The Cage "
• " The Menagerie, Part I " (archive footage)
• " The Menagerie, Part II " (archive footage)
• DIS : " If Memory Serves "
• LD : " An Embarrassment Of Dooplers " (photograph)

Background information [ ]

Origins [ ].

The Talosians were the first aliens encountered on Star Trek , appearing in the earliest Star Trek: The Original Series production, " The Cage ". (While Spock was the first non-Human featured, his species is not mentioned in that episode.)

Upon devising the Talosians, Gene Roddenberry reused elements of the species from a story outline he submitted for an ultimately unproduced episode of the television series Science Fiction Theater . The story treatment was titled "The Transporter" and featured the invention of a device – the "transporter" referenced in the title – which, in Roddenberry's words, "creates an artificial world for the user, capable of duplicating delight, sensation, contentment, adventure – all beyond the reach of the ordinary person living the ordinary life." The outline also involved the machine's inventor realizing the device might eventually lead to mankind's destruction or, as Roddenberry put it, " [The machine] might be used as they have used the miracle of radio, television, the motion pictures – with more devastating results…. It could create wants and desires for which the world would destroy itself – a dying race sitting at their 'transporters'. " Thus, Roddenberry later made the Talosians capable "of duplicating delight, sensation, contentment, [and] adventure," and established them as a dying race, experiencing life vicariously through others. ( These Are the Voyages: TOS Season One , Chapter 1: "The Creator")

The Talosians were originally written as a crab-like species. The story outline for "The Cage" (as reprinted in The Making of Star Trek , pp. 47-65) commonly referred to them as "crab-creatures" and said of the aliens, " Although in no way Human, they are obviously intelligent and have digital capabilities via six multiclawed arms and legs. " The outline also dictated that, among their own kind, the Talosians were to have used "claw-snap and clatter for speech" and were originally intended to have not only claws but also an "external armor-skeleton" that made similar noises. The aliens were not imagined as being capable of communication, other than the clattering of their claws; the commanding officer of the Enterprise (at that time, known as Captain Robert April ) instead understood the aliens by translating their noises via his "telecommunicator" (a device that later developed into both the common communicator and the universal translator ). Also, the aliens' mode of moving was referred to as "scuttling." ( The Making of Star Trek , pp. 48-49, 58)

Gene Roddenberry discovered crab creatures would be too expensive to build. As a result, the aliens became humanoid. (" The Menagerie, Part I " text commentary , TOS Season 1 DVD ) In the second revised final draft script of "The Cage", the Talosians were thus introduced as " small, slim, pale Human-like creatures with large elongated heads, suggesting huge and powerful brains. They wear shimmering metallic garb. " Roddenberry imagined the aliens as not only thin but also very frail. ( The Making of Star Trek , p. 349)

In a line of dialogue which was scripted for "The Cage" but not included in the final version of that episode (nor any other installment), Pike commented, " What's happened to the Talosians could be sort of a warning, couldn't it. For us individually or for a whole race. Our electronic tape, our viewing screens, even our books, must never become a substitute for real life. " In another scripted but discarded line, Vina said of the Talosians, " Since their minds can reach anywhere, most of them are like cocoons or larvae now. They just sit and let the thought records or some specimen live for them. Some of them hardly move, except to take that blue protein once a day. " This "blue protein" was a reference to the Talosians' protein complex .

First appearances [ ]

The producers and Gene Roddenberry decided to cast the Talosian roles as females and then dub male voices over the footage. In a 1988 interview, Director Robert Butler uncertainly recalled that this idea "might have been" his. He went on to say, " When I saw the characters in the script I thought it would be interesting to get a difference, and one easy difference is to cast women just because of their size and grace, and then add voice-overs later. Therefore you get an oddness, an antisexuality that certainly might be more the case in other galactic cultures than our own, and I think that might have been my notion. But at the same time I remember that when I mentioned it to Gene he had had a similar feeling that we should go bizarre, so there was not much discussion if it was my idea. If I said, 'Hey, let's do that,' he might have said, 'Yeah, I get it, it's a good idea,' or vice versa. " ( The Star Trek Interview Book , p. 97) The idea of casting women, with their lighter builds, appealed to Roddenberry because he thought it might give the impression that the Talosians had let their bodies atrophy in favor of higher brain development. ("The Menagerie, Part II" text commentary , TOS Season 1 DVD ) Thus, Roddenberry searched Hollywood for diminutive actresses who had faces that he deemed to be interesting. ( The Star Trek Compendium , 4th ed., p. 15) Once the performers were cast, their breasts were tightly wrapped, in an effort to disguise each actress' female form. ( The Making of Star Trek , p. 349)

The design of the Talosians additionally incorporated headpieces that – complete with their bulging veins and small, round ears – were created by craftsman Wah Chang and were blended into the actresses' own facial features by Fred Phillips and his make-up staff. ( The Star Trek Compendium , 4th ed., p. 15) Chang's work on the Talosian head prosthetics also included the throbbing quality of veins, but this effect can only be seen on The Keeper 's head. ("The Menagerie, Part II" text commentary , TOS Season 1 DVD ) Meg Wyllie , the actress who played The Keeper, later remembered the make-up required; " The base was an old-fashioned rubber bathing cap – the type with a chin strap. Above, or rather upon the cap, a rubber substance was placed. When that was set, the cap was removed, placed on a form and the technical special effects people finished the skull – placing the blood vessels and covering them. The makeup was not comfortable – my ears especially suffered being so confined under the bathing cap. " ( Starlog issue #117, p. 52) To operate the pulsing veins on The Keeper's head, Assistant Director Robert H. Justman hid out of the camera's line-of-sight and squeezed a small rubber bulb that inflated and deflated the veins. ("The Menagerie, Part II" text commentary , TOS Season 1 DVD ) Sandra Gimpel , who also played one of the Talosians, commented, " Well, the makeup took, like, two and a half, three hours. The interesting part about it is how different it was then from now. The heads. The Talosians talk by telepathy, so the veins would pump every time they talked. So they had an air bladder in the head, with the veins. Then a tube ran down my back and down my arm, and I had a ball in my hand. Every time I pushed it, the air would make the bladder move. That's why you'd see the Talosians standing so still. The costumes had really long arms, because they covered up us holding the ball. " [1]

In an unused line of dialogue from the final draft script of "The Menagerie, Part I", James T. Kirk speculated that the Talosians may have developed "some surgical methods" that the Federation had not yet developed, as of the timing of that episode (in 2267 ). However, Commodore Mendez skeptically replied that the single reference to life on Talos IV in Spock's entire report referred to it as "feeble and parasitic " and that such parasites "hardly make skilled surgeons ."

Reappearances [ ]

An action figure bearing the likeness of a Talosian

A small action figure of what appears to be a Talosian can be seen on Rain Robinson 's desk in the 1996 of the Star Trek: Voyager episodes " Future's End " and " Future's End, Part II ". The same or a similar action figure could be found in Production Designer Richard James ' office during production on Voyager . ( Star Trek: Communicator  issue 111 , p. 54)

A Talosian appears on the cover of A Child's Garden of Lifeforms in Our Galaxy , a book that was designed by Doug Drexler for DS9 : " Time's Orphan ". ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion , p. 579)

According to an early script for Star Trek Nemesis , the Talosians discovered B-4 drifting in space. It is likely that Shinzon acquired B-4 from them.

During the making of Star Trek: Enterprise , little consideration was given to bringing back the Talosians, despite other TOS aliens reappearing on the series. Michael Sussman recalled, " To my knowledge, no one on the writing staff was pitching Talosian stories. " ( User talk:Mdsussman#TOS Aliens )

A Talosian was to cameo in the 2009 film Star Trek . It was redesigned by sculptor Don Lanning . He later referred to it as an "amazing design" and speculated that the aliens "would have been played by women." Lanning went on to explain, " I did a drawing that was pretty much a straightforward make-up, where the actor's real neck would be painted green for digital removal, leaving this little spindly neck sculpted onto the front of the actor, and the body would be worn like a Bun Raku puppet. It was a fully realized make-up that was actually rendered out by Joel [Harlow] , and it was a fascinating idea. " ( Star Trek Magazine Special 2014 , p. 137) Harlow crafted the design into a sculpture which featured a paint job by himself and Crist Ballas . [2] Offered Harlow, " What I did was sculpt the head extra-large with a thin neck on top of his real neck. We just assumed that when they shot it, his own neck would have been green-screened out, leaving a giant head on this tiny little neck. I think it would have looked really cool, but it ended up just being a mask, and all the body stuff, which would have been a rod puppet, was sort of neglected at that point. " ( Star Trek Magazine Special 2014 , p. 137)

According to Star Trek: Star Charts (p. 34), the Talosians became warp-capable 500,000 years prior to 2378 .

Reception and likenesses [ ]

Dave Rossi , VFX Line Producer of the remastered version of Star Trek: The Original Series , once enthused about his fondness for the Talosians, " Any aliens that garner the death penalty if you go see them is... They're pretty epic. And it just speaks to their unique power of mind control [....] The Talosians take it [mental powers] to a whole other level. In fact, I would say that, in as far as The Original Series goes, the Talosians are probably one of the most powerful aliens we ever met, and that makes them fun, even though they have fanny heads. " (" The Menagerie, Part I " Starfleet Access , TOS Season 1 Blu-ray ) With similar gusto, Michael and Denise Okuda commented the casting of females as the otherwise male Talosians was "highly creative." (" The Menagerie, Part II " text commentary , TOS Season 1 DVD )

A similar casting trick was used again much later, with the Sphere-Builders in Star Trek: Enterprise , as they were all women except for one male. The same casting strategy was also used in another of Gene Roddenberry's (posthumous) TV series, Earth: Final Conflict , wherein the Taelons (a species that, coincidentally, bear a striking resemblance to the Talosians) were all played by female actors. The Talosians are similar too, in many ways, to the underground mutants of the Planet of the Apes series. Both are subterranean survivors of nuclear disaster with impressive mental abilities, which include the power to create thoughts and images in the minds of others.

Apocrypha [ ]

The novel Burning Dreams reveals that Talosians are androgynous and uses the "s/he" and "hir" pronouns to refer to them. According to the novel, Talosian civilization had been revitalized by the year 2320 thanks to the influence of Christopher Pike. An older novel, Legacy , referred to the Keeper using male pronouns.

In the 1980s DC Comics' Star Trek series, Vol. 1 annual #2, entitled " The Final Voyage ," the Talosians appear when the Enterprise, en route home at the completion of its five-year mission under James T. Kirk , is tricked into returning to Talos IV by Klingons under the command of Captain Koloth . The savage Klingons have taken control of the planet, killed most of the remaining Talosians, and forced the remaining few to teach the Klingons their power of illusion. The Klingons, after delighting in torturing Christopher Pike, force Kirk and crew to relive their entire five-year mission, with their experiences twisted towards their greatest fear. With the help of the remaining Talosians, the crew overcome the Klingons using anger and rage to overcome the illusions, and continue home.

The Talosians of the mirror universe appeared in the short story "The Greater Good" by Margaret Wander Bonanno , contained in the anthology Shards and Shadows . As in the primary universe, they used a distress call to lure the ISS Enterprise to Talos IV with the intention of having Christopher Pike mate with Vina so as to create a race of Terran slaves. However, Pike rejected her, refusing to mate with an "insipid Human female." Upon learning of the Terran Empire fear of telepaths, the Keeper decided to release Captain Pike and use him as their eyes and ears throughout the empire; the captain would give the Talosians an early warning, should the empire ever decide to attack and obliterate their planet. After assassinating Pike and assuming the captaincy of the Enterprise in 2264 , James T. Kirk returned to Talos IV and ordered that its surface be leveled, annihilating the Talosians for the good of the Terran Empire.

• 1 Daniels (Crewman)
• 3 Calypso (episode)

‘The Acolyte’ Joins ‘Andor’ as Another ‘Star Wars’ Success on Disney+: TV Review

By Alison Herman

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Yet “The Acolyte” is quick to explain the relationship between Stenberg’s two characters, both to the audience and Osha’s investigators. The show, it turns out, has more interesting topics to turn to, like the relationship between Osha and her onetime mentor Sol (“Squid Game” star Lee Jung-jae). Along with Indara, Sol was once stationed on Osha’s home planet, where a fire took the lives of her entire family — including, or so she thought, her twin sister, Mae. A then eight-year-old Osha went to Coruscant with Sol, who retains a guilt-inflected soft spot for his erstwhile student, while Mae trained with an anonymous master. No one says the words “dark side” or “Sith,” but the red lightsaber speaks for itself.

There are obvious echoes of Luke and Leia in the story of twins separated as young children, and Darth Vader in a villain who wears a mask and speaks with a distorted voice. But later episodes contain revelations that subvert, and even threaten to upend, our notions of the Jedi and binary conception of the Force.

The Jedi’s fallibility has long been one of the most interesting, and underexplored, “Star Wars” themes. In their pursuit of a chosen one, the warrior monks inadvertently planted the seeds of their own destruction; Luke Skywalker grew so disillusioned with his life’s work that he vowed the order would die with him. “Star Wars” has always, on some level, been a Greek tragedy disguised as a children’s blockbuster. But while a slew of spinoffs can dilute a brand’s cachet, as they have for corporate sibling Marvel, they can also allow for a narrow focus. When not forced to share (literal) space with armies and outlaws, the Jedi have never been as centered, nor as scrutinized, as they are in “The Acolyte.”

Lee’s Sol emerges as the empathetic face of this ambivalence. Viewers familiar with the actor’s work in South Korea won’t be surprised to see him as an action hero with a heart, but to Americans who know him solely from the Netflix sensation, the role is a show of range on one of the biggest stages in English-language media. Stenberg, of course, gets to embrace her dual role, developing Mae and Osha’s physicalities as well as their differing points of view on the Jedi. (Though it says something that even defender Osha chose not to join their ranks because she couldn’t let go of emotion in her unprocessed grief.) Manny Jacinto plays Mae’s accomplice, a performance that recalls his bumbling, goofy “The Good Place” character with more sinister undertones, and Dafne Keen of “His Dark Materials” conveys her sharply inquisitive young Padawan from under a mountain of makeup and CGI. Together, the ensemble riffs on established “Star Wars” types while making marks of their own.

The first two episodes of “The Acolyte” will launch on Disney+ on June 4 at 6 p.m. PT, with remaining episodes streaming weekly on Tuesdays.

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Star Trek: Prodigy Cast Guide & All Returning Voyager Characters In Seasons 1 & 2

8 things i realized after rewatching house, 20 years after its first episode, s.w.a.t. season 8 loses key cast member to another cbs show.

• Netflix will stream Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 before Paramount+'s Starfleet Academy starts shooting.
• Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 focuses on Dal and crew aboard USS Voyager-A, setting the stage for their journey to becoming Starfleet officers, drawing comparisons with Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.
• Starfleet Academy series faces tough competition from Prodigy, but both shows highlight the franchise's forward-thinking strategy for the next generation of fans.

Netflix is set to beat Paramount+ to the punch by streaming Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 before a single minute of Paramount's next Star Trek show is filmed. Prodigy season 2 has had a rocky road to screens, first being canceled by Paramount, before finding a new home on Netflix thanks, in part, to a passionate fan campaign. Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 will pick up the story of Dal R'El (Brett Gray) and his crew as they gain hands-on experience of what it takes to be Starfleet officers, courtesy of the mentorship of Admiral Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and the Doctor (Robert Picardo).

Although they're set 800 years apart, the upcoming YA Star Trek: Discovery spinoff, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, bears similarities to Netlfix's animated series. While the target audience of Star Trek: Prodigy is certainly younger than that of Starfleet Academy , both shows are Star Trek coming-of-age stories . These similarities make the timing of Starfleet Academy 's announcement and Prodigy 's suspicious, but it's likely just an unfortunate coincidence. Another unfortunate coincidence is that Netflix drops Prodigy season 2 in July , months before Paramount+'s upcoming YA Star Trek show is scheduled to start shooting, meaning that Starfleet Academy could pale in comparison.

Star Trek: Prodigy's cast of young alien heroes and Star Trek: Voyager's legacy characters led by Admiral Janeway return in season 2.

Netflix’s Star Trek: Prodigy Season 2 Will Beat Paramount Plus’ Starfleet Academy To The Punch

Despite how rigidly compartmentalized Alex Kurtzman has made it, the Star Trek franchise has dueling Starfleet Academy shows. Star Trek: Prodigy will largely be set aboard the USS Voyager-A, as Dal and his fellow Warrant Officers join Janeway's mission to save Captain Chakotay (Robert Beltran) . While the end of Prodigy season 1 confirmed that Dal and his crew aren't officially Starfleet Academy cadets, season 2's theme of coming-of-age and learning what it takes to become an officer is the whole premise of the upcoming Star Trek: Discovery spinoff. Prodigy also has the benefit of being a Star Trek: Voyager sequel, meaning that it has a firmly established fictional universe in the form of the 24th century.

As well as Kate Mulgrew, Robert Picardo, and Robert Beltran, it's been teased that other classic Star Trek characters may cameo in Star Trek: Prodigy season 2.

Compared to the Star Trek: Prodigy characters rescuing a Starfleet legend from an alternate future, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy 's story of fresh recruits finding their way into higher education sounds incredibly dry. Hopefully, it won't be as Earthbound as suggested by the construction of Starfleet Academy 's primary San Francisco location on a soundstage in Toronto. However, it could be difficult for the show to escape unfavorable comparisons with a thematically similar yet more vibrant animated series. Not least because, like Prodigy 's Admiral Janeway, Starfleet Academy also has a charismatic female mentor, in the form of Holly Hunter's unnamed Academy Chancellor .

Why Star Trek Is Now So Focused On Starfleet Academy

Constantly trading on the 1990s glory days of the franchise, or revisiting the legendary adventures of the Star Trek: The Original Series crew will only go so far.

Star Trek 's dueling Starfleet Academy shows are emblematic of a forward-thinking strategy for the wider franchise. As the Star Trek franchise approaches its 60th anniversary, it makes sense to start building the next generation of Starfleet legends, be that in Star Trek: Prodigy or Star Trek: Starfleet Academy . Constantly trading on the 1990s glory days of the franchise, or revisiting the legendary adventures of the Star Trek: The Original Series crew will only go so far. While Star Trek is something that multiple generations enjoy together, kids and young adults often desire a corner of the franchise that's just for them.

Star Trek: Prodigy season 1 was such a joy because, as well as telling a great Star Trek story, it was a hugely enjoyable and accessible primer for the history of Starfleet and the Federation. Kids that fall in love with the adventures of Hologram Janeway and the crew of the USS Protostar could then ask their parents to show them the adventures of the real-life Janeway and the USS Voyager. Hopefully, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will have a similar effect on its YA audience, building the next generation of fans and securing the longevity of the franchise for generations to come.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy season 1 is scheduled to start production in Fall 2024.

Star Trek: Prodigy season 2 premieres on Netflix on July 1st.

Star Trek: Prodigy

*Availability in US

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Star Trek: Prodigy is the first TV series in the Star Trek franchise marketed toward children, and one of the few animated series in the franchise. The story follows a group of young aliens who find a stolen Starfleet ship and use it to escape from the Tars Lamora prison colony where they are all held captive. Working together with the help of a holographic Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), the new crew of the USS Protostar must find their way back to the Alpha Quadrant to warn the Federation of the deadly threat that is pursuing them.

Star Trek: Starfleet Academy

After being closed for over a hundred years, Starfleet Academy is reopening its doors to those who wish to pursue a career as Starfleet Officers. Star Trek: Starfleet Academy will follow a new group of cadets as they come of age, and build friendships, rivalries, and romantic relationships while being threatened by a new adversary that could destroy the Academy and the Federation itself.