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Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

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

Captain Kirk and his crew must deal with Mr. Spock's long-lost half-brother who hijacks the Enterprise for an obsessive search for God at the center of the galaxy. Captain Kirk and his crew must deal with Mr. Spock's long-lost half-brother who hijacks the Enterprise for an obsessive search for God at the center of the galaxy. Captain Kirk and his crew must deal with Mr. Spock's long-lost half-brother who hijacks the Enterprise for an obsessive search for God at the center of the galaxy.

  • William Shatner
  • Gene Roddenberry
  • Harve Bennett
  • Leonard Nimoy
  • DeForest Kelley
  • 378 User reviews
  • 86 Critic reviews
  • 43 Metascore
  • 5 wins & 5 nominations

Official Trailer

  • St. John Talbot

Laurence Luckinbill

  • Caithlin Dar

Todd Bryant

  • Captain Klaa

Spice Williams-Crosby

  • (as Spice Williams)

Rex Holman

  • "God"
  • Young Sarek
  • High Priestess

Steve Susskind

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  • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

Did you know

  • Trivia During pre-production meetings, screenwriter David Loughery jokingly proposed to have Commander Uhura appear as an erotic dancer in order to lure away the hostage takers from the Paradise compound. He was surprised when the producers approved of the idea right away.
  • Goofs When Kirk, Bones and Spock are flying up the turbolift shaft, the deck number gets higher as they go upwards. However Star Trek ships are numbered the opposite way round with the higher decks having lower numbers. For instance, the bridge (at the top of the ship) is on deck 1.

Kirk : Damn it, Bones, you're a doctor. You know that pain and guilt can't be taken away with a wave of a magic wand. They're the things we carry with us, the things that make us who we are. If we lose them, we lose ourselves. I don't want my pain taken away! I need my pain!

  • Crazy credits "Highest descender fall recorded in the United States: Ken Bates." (I.e., Kenny Bates .)
  • Alternate versions The CBS broadcast premiere removed a number of scenes from the movie. 1) All scenes featuring the dancing triple-breasted catwoman were removed. 2) The campfire scene was trimmed, ending with Spock producing the 'marshmellon' - effectively removing the much criticized 'Row Row Row Your Boat' sing along between Kirk, Spock and McCoy. 3) The scene between Uhura and Scotty on the bridge as they receive new orders from Starfleet Command. 4) The "I could use a shower" scene between Kirk and Spock in the turbolift.
  • Connections Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Star Trek V/No Holds Barred/Dead Poets Society/Let's Get Lost/Renegades (1989)
  • Soundtracks Fanfare From Star Trek TV Series by Alexander Courage

User reviews 378

  • posspringtime
  • Oct 26, 2004
  • How long is Star Trek V: The Final Frontier? Powered by Alexa
  • Why was J'Onn digging holes on Numbus 3 at the beginning? Also, what was his pain?
  • What was the creature pretending to be "God"?
  • What is 'The Final Frontier' about?
  • June 9, 1989 (United States)
  • United States
  • Star Trek: The Final Frontier
  • Owens Lake, California, USA (the dry lake bed stood in for the desolate Nimbus III)
  • Paramount Pictures
  • See more company credits at IMDbPro
  • $27,800,000 (estimated)
  • $52,210,049
  • $17,375,648
  • Jun 11, 1989

Technical specs

  • Runtime 1 hour 47 minutes
  • Dolby Digital

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A Complete History of the Romulans in Star Trek

Since The Original Series, the Romulans have been one of Star Trek's most mysterious villains, but who are they and how do they relate to the Vulcans?

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The romulans were created to be star trek 'romans', the timeline of the romulan star empire, the romulan cold war and joining forces against the dominion, the destruction of romulus changed star trek timelines.

Some of the most mysterious villains in Star Trek are the Romulans, whose history with Earth dates back to before the time of Star Trek: The Original Series . The Romulans are depicted as an oppressive group with a militant culture and are arguably even less agreeable than the Klingons. Still, they have united in common cause with the Federation in some instances.

When Star Trek: Discovery advanced the timeline by 900-plus years, the Romulan Star Empire was no more. Their home planet, Romulus, was destroyed. Thanks to Spock's efforts to expose their culture to Vulcan logic, the Romulans found a new home on Ni'var, the renamed Vulcan homeworld. In fact, along with their distant, pointy-eared cousins, the Romulans are part of the Federation in the 32nd Century. Romulans went from unseen enemies in Star Trek 's history to cohabitating with humans' first alien friends, but have plenty of story left to tell.

How Gene Roddenberry Lost Control Over the Star Trek Movies

Before Star Trek returned for its second wave of stories, the creation of the Romulans was a point of contention. In a featurette on The Original Series Blu-ray, writer and franchise legend Dorothy Fontana said freelance writer Paul Schneider invented them by taking inspiration from the ancient Roman Empire. Schneider confirmed this in Captain's Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyagers by Edward Gross and Mark A. Altman, calling his creation "an extension of the Roman civilization to the point of space travel." This is the impetus for their militaristic society, drive to conquer and fanatical loyalty to the unseen Emperor.

The Romulans appeared twice in Star Trek: The Original Series and weren't fully fleshed out as adversaries until the time of The Next Generation . Originally, they looked just like Vulcans, but makeup supervisor Michael Westmore added forehead ridges and a different hairstyle. The Romulans were considered to be the villains in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock , but the production opted for the more popular Klingons. They would have taken the place of the S'ona in Star Trek: Insurrection . However, Patrick Stewart objected to their inclusion thinking fans wanted a fresh villain. Ironically, the opposite was true.

The Romulans also appeared as villains in Star Trek: Nemesis , Star Trek (2009) and in Season 1 of Star Trek: Picard . Because they were originally introduced as an "offshoot" of Vulcans, Leonard Nimoy appeared as Spock on The Next Generation to send the character to make peace with them. His final mission was to reintegrate the Vulcan and Romulan cultures as one society. Star Trek: Discovery revealed he succeeded indirectly by the 32nd Century. While there was an Earth-Romulan war, this story hasn't been told yet, likely because humans never saw their enemies in the flesh.

Star Trek: What's the Story Behind Every Enterprise Design?

In the Star Trek universe, it was discovered that most humanoid life could trace its genetic origins to a single star-faring species billions of years in the past. They traveled the universe colonizing many planets, and both Vulcans and Romulans share traces of this DNA. At some point in Vulcan's history, before the populace adopted the logic-based philosophy of Surak, a group of Vulcans went to the stars and eventually settled on Romulus. These beings became Romulans, and possibly Remans, the pale-skinned, scaled "slave caste" of the Romulan Star Empire, at least through the late 24th Century.

By the 22nd Century, the Romulan Star Empire was known by Vulcans, yet they had no contact with their long-distant cousins. In fact, this connection was lost to history among Vulcans, although Romulans retained that information. On Star Trek: Enterprise the NX-01 encountered a planet surrounded by cloaked mines. They briefly exchanged communications with this unknown race, but never identified them for certain. Later, the Romulans sent spies to Vulcan to attempt reunification, but when Captain Archer and T'Pring discovered Surak's teachings, the plans fell apart.

A long-distance Romulan plot also attempted to foster war in the galaxy via cloaked drones, controlled telepathically. This caused Captain Archer to form an alliance with founding members of the Federation , thereby starting the process of its creation. In 2156, Earth and Romulus went to war. The Vulcans, Andorians and Tellarites united again to defeat them in 2160, whereby the neutral zone was established. The treaty was negotiated via long-distance communication. The Romulans were never seen until the USS Enterprise encountered a cloaked vessel attacking Earth colonies near the edge of the neutral zone.

10 Star Trek Time Travel Stories That Changed Canon

Two years after this encounter, Captain Kirk was ordered to violate the Neutral Zone to steal a cloaking device. He succeeded and captured a Romulan commander as well. Later, in Star Trek: The Animated Series , the Romulans tried to steal the Enterprise, but were defeated. By the late 23rd Century, the Romulan Star Empire had an ambassador at Federation headquarters. He was part of the conspiracy to prevent the Klingon Empire and the Federation from signing the Khitomer Peace Treaty. The Romulans remained isolated until the mid-24th Century.

There was a Cold War between the Empire and the Federation with many incidents amounting to 45 appearances in the second-wave series and films. Notable encounters included the attempted defection of Admiral Alidar Jarok. A Romulan spy impersonated the Vulcan ambassador T'Pel. After a test of a new cloaking device failed, the USS Enterprise-D helped the stranded Romulans. The Enterprise conducted two cover missions on Romulus. First, they were sent to retrieve Spock who had decided to preach Surak's teachings to Romulans. They then sent Deanna Troi to help Vice-Proconsul M'Ret defect to the Federation.

The Romulans still engaged in conflict with the Klingons periodically throughout the 24th Century. They also tried to steal an experimental starship, thwarted by the ship's Emergency Medical Hologram and the EMH from the USS Voyager. The Romulans stayed out of the Dominion War, until Captain Sisko aided Garak in framing the Dominion for the death of one of their ambassadors. They remained allies until the war ended.

Star Trek: Discovery's Kenneth Mitchell Was Heroic On and Off Screen

The film Star Trek: Nemesis took place in 2379, when the Remans rose up against the Romulan masters. A clone of Captain Picard named Shinzon became the new praetor. He brought the USS Enterprise-E to Romulus under the ruse of peace talks, but he needed Picard to heal a medical malady. His plan was to launch a war with the aim of destroying Earth. His defeat led to true diplomatic negotiations, aided by Ambassador Spock. In the 2380s, a cosmic accident destroyed Romulus. Spock and a mining vessel captained by Nero were sent to the past and created an alternate timeline, in which Vulcan was destroyed.

Back in the Prime Timeline, Admiral Picard tried to help refugees from the (now so named) Romulan Free State relocate. The Romulan secret order Zhat Vash used synthetic lifeforms to destroy the Utopia Planitia shipyards and the relocation fleet. Years later, the group attacked two synthetic lifeforms -- "children" of Data -- and a retired Picard helped save them and a planet full of their kind from destruction. A group of Romulans also captured a Borg cube, creating the Borg Reclamation project. The Artifact, as it was called, ended up landing on the planet of synthetics, where they presumably took over the effort.

By the 32nd Century, the Romulans and Vulcans successfully reunified. Vulcan was renamed Ni'var, and while there remained cultural tension, the two cultures lived in relative peace. When a cosmic accident caused all the dilithium crystals to explode, which prevented warp travel and killed countless people, Ni'Var retreated from the Federation. With the help of Captains Michael Burnham and Saru, they agreed to rejoin the union. This means the forthcoming series Starfleet Academy could introduce Romulan cadets.

Star Trek series and films are streaming on Paramount+, save for Star Trek: Prodigy on Netflix and the first ten films currently on Max.

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

Forgotten Trek

Creating the Romulans

Writer Paul Schneider created the Romulans for “Balance of Terror”. He deliberately modeled the villains on Earth’s ancient Romans, even naming their homeworlds after the mythical founders of Rome: Romulus and Remus. “It was a matter of developing a good Romanesque set of admirable antagonists that were worthy of Kirk,” Schneider told journalists Mark Altman and Edward Gross years later. “I came up with the concept of the Romulans which was an extension of the Roman civilization to the point of space travel, and it turned out quite well.”

Story Editor Dorothy C. Fontana agreed, saying in an interview for the 2009 Blu-ray release of Season 1 of The Original Series ,

They were a wonderful, wonderful enemy … to have, because we could talk about them, people had seen them once, and we didn’t know a lot about them. They were wonderfully mysterious.

Romulans would only appear once more in the three-year run of The Original Series : “The Enterprise Incident”, written by Fontana, featured the series’ first Romulan woman, and first female starship commander, played by Joanne Linville. The story was based on the capture of the American patrol boat Pueblo by communist North Korea during the Vietnam War.

Lawrence Montaigne

Cold War analogies

Gene Roddenberry envisaged the Romulans as Star Trek ’s version of Communist China and the Klingons as its Soviet Union. In Making of Star Trek , he and Stephen Whitfield describe the Romulans as “highly militaristic, aggressive by nature, ruthless in warfare.”

It is hard to hate Romulans completely, as they often display enormous courage. Although members of a warrior society in which the strong alone survive, they live their beliefs with great integrity.

The Star Empire is described as “a dictatorship, with some similarities to the warrior-stoic philosophies of Earth’s ancient Roman Empire.” Romulan society is marked by “complete equality between the sexes; women are as often found in command of a ship as are men.”

The last element was preserved: Klingons remained the patriarchal society. But “Romulan” characteristics of aggression, courage and honor were transferred to the Klingons while originally “Klingon” cruelty, deceit and shrewdness were given to the Romulans.

Earth’s old enemy

In “Balance of Terror” we learn that Earth fought a war with the Romulans about a century prior with “primitive space vessels” and no visual contact between the two sides. A peace treaty was negotiated by “subspace radio”, which established a Neutral Zone that warships could not enter.

The best fan speculations about the history of the war are in Dan Carlson’s (unfinished) “ History of the Earth-Romulan War ” and Masao Okazaki’s Starfleet Museum .

Romulan Neutral Zone

“The Enterprise Incident” hinted at a Klingon-Romulan relationship. The Making of Star Trek confirms a “recent alliance”. This was developed extensively in non-canon. The real-world explanation was that the franchise wanted to optimize use of the Klingon battle cruiser model Matt Jefferies had designed for “Elaan of Troyius”. “The Enterprise Incident” aired first, so 1960s viewers were introduced to what would later become known as the D7 as a Romulan vessel. The remastered The Original Series swapped one of the D7s in “The Enterprise Incident” for Wah Ming Chang’s Romulan Bird of Prey .

Pointy ears and V-shaped foreheads

Schneider made the Romulans an offshoot of the Vulcans. The teleplay of “Balance of Terror” describes them as “Spock-like men, dressed in military tunics with strange emblems. Like Spock, their almond-colored faces are coldly impassive.” Roddenberry, in The Making of Star Trek , calls the two races “physically almost identical.”

Which was also the reason Romulans didn’t appear more often: making Spock’s pointy ears was a time-consuming task. It took an hour and a half to apply them. Per actor. That’s why only two actors in “Balance of Terror” (including Mark Lenard, who would return as Spock’s father Sarek in “Journey to Babel”) were given pointy ears and the others helmets, designed by Chang.

Joanne Linville

When the Romulans returned in Star Trek: The Next Generation , makeup artist Michael Westmore differentiated them a little from Vulcans. He gave the Romulans V-shaped forehead ridges. The idea was to make them look more menacing. “From the very first moment they appeared on-screen,” Westmore is quoted in Star Trek: The Next Generation 365 , “the viewer had to take them seriously, rather than seeing them as stereotyped villains with pointed ears.”

We wanted to stay close to their natural forehead, not making them look Neanderthal, but giving them a built-in sullen expression they couldn’t get away from.

Not everyone approved. Writer Ronald D. Moore, who joined the show in its third season, is quoted in the same book as saying, “I hated the foreheads on the Romulans.”

The backstory was that they were basically the same race, yet somehow the Romulans got these different foreheads at some point.

Romulan characters in Star Trek V and VI – made at the same time as The Next Generation – still went without forehead ridges.

Almost villains

Leonard Nimoy and Harve Bennett

Romulans were almost the villains in two Star Trek movies.

Harve Bennett’s draft for Star Trek III had Romulans instead of Klingons discovering the reanimated Spock on the Genesis Planet, where they were setting up a dilithium mining operation. Leonard Nimoy, who directed the film , persuaded Bennett that the Klingons were more theatrical. “I was just looking for a heavy, and in the series – to me – the Romulans seemed to be more dastardly than the Klingons,” he told Star Trek: The Magazine in 2002.

At Leonard’s suggestion, we changed it to the Klingons and dug into their motivation. That gave us the perfect foil: people who would use this device for evil. And, of course, Leonard had a marvelous insight into what they should look like. His knowledge of how we could do it made the Klingons the perfect fit; we had our Nazis.

This caused another ship swap. The script referred to a “Bird of Prey”, which was a Romulan warship. Bennett and Nimoy wanted to keep the name and its cloaking ability.

After due consideration, [Nimoy] said, “The hell with it.” We agreed that the Klingons would steal the best from anybody, though we didn’t have time to show it in the story.

Fans rationalized that the Klingons must have gained cloaking technology from the Romulans in the alliance suggested by “The Enterprise Incident”.

Michael Piller

Fourteen years later, Michael Piller also thought of the Romulans when he was writing Star Trek: Insurrection . This time it was lead actor Patrick Stewart who objected. Using the Romulans was “unexciting,” he felt: it would seem as if “we just couldn’t come up with any new bad guys.”

Piller created the Son’a instead. In a twist on the Vulcan-Romulan relationship, he made them an offshoot of the Ba’ku people Picard’s crew fought to protect.

“We’re back”

Roddenbery banned the Romulans from Season 1 of The Next Generation , arguing the new series needed new enemies. But when the Ferengi failed to impress as villains , and once Picard’s crew had distinguished itself from Kirk’s, Roddenberry allowed an exception in the last episode.

When Maurice Hurley wrote the Romulans into “The Neutral Zone”, he planned to eventually unite them with the Federation against the Borg. The war, spanning multiple episodes, would have culminated in the Romulans stopping a Borg invasion and annihilating themselves in the process. Picard would have to figure out what happened. A writers’ strike nixed this plan. Hurley had to wait until “Q Who?” before developing the Borg further . Romulans were no longer involved.

Another idea that didn’t pan out: a Romulan-Vulcan alliance fighting the Federation and the Klingons in the alternate timeline of “Yesterday’s Enterprise”. This was replaced with an easier-to-explain Federation-Klingon War.

Romulans are fleshed out

Piller, who took over as showrunner from Hurley in Season 3, was excited to see more of the Romulans, telling Cinefantastique :

There is no question that when we started the third season, everybody felt we didn’t have worthy antagonists. We didn’t know if there would be Romulans or not. I went back and looked at some of the original stuff with Romulans and said, “I understand them. I can write them.”

Piller’s first Romulan episode, “The Enemy” – co-written with David Kemper – was immediately controversial. Other writers and actor Michael Dorn objected to Worf refusing to donate blood to a dying Romulan. But Producer Rick Berman had Piller’s back. “Once he was behind me, it was a race to the finish line,” Piller told Captains’ Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages .

And it was absolutely the right thing to do. You knew the audience was waiting for Worf to come around, because they always do that in television. But the character wouldn’t do that and I think we made a really good decision.

Romulans were predictably deceitful in “The Defector”, “Tin Man” and “Data’s Day”. “The Mind’s Eye” was more about La Forge than the Romulans who kidnapped him. It wasn’t until the two-parter “Redemption”, bridging Seasons 4 and 5, that the Romulans got more interesting. Not only did they provoke a Klingon Civil War in a bid to break up the Federation-Klingon alliance; the plot was concocted by the half-human daughter of Denise Crosby’s Lieutenant Yar, who had traveled back in time in “Yesterday’s Enterprise”.

The character of Sela was Crosby’s idea, in order to return to The Next Generation after she enjoyed reprising the role of Yar in “Yesterday’s Enterprise”. Except her Sela was the human daughter of Yar and Lieutenant Castillo, the second-in-command of the Enterprise -C, and merely raised by Romulans. In the final version, the character became the daughter of Yar and her Romulan captor.

Moore recalled:

It was tough to write and I knew it would be confusing and that, in essence, is the difficulty with doing continuity on the show. It’s fun and gives us the sense of being a real place, but you have to explain it to people who haven’t seen all those other episodes. It was not an easy explanation – that all came from Denise.

Unification

Syd Dutton

Season 5 also revealed the Romulan homeworld. Syd Dutton, who drew the matte painting of Romulus, told Cinefantastique he was deliberate about the colors and shapes he used:

The sky we choose, the lighting, even the distance between the buildings will all have an impact on whether this is somewhere you might want to visit or a place you would rather stay away from. If you’re a fascist culture, like the Romulans, we’ll try to create oppressive shapes and dark lighting that suits the personality of the species.

Nimoy appeared in the two-parter “Unification” at the suggestion of Paramount Pictures CEO Frank Mancuso. He wanted the movie franchise and The Next Generation to collaborate in order to mark the quarter-century anniversary of the franchise in 1991. That year’s Star Trek VI was an analogy to the end of the Cold War. “Unification” was inspired by the reunification of Germany.

“It became more of a show that dealt with a peaceable as opposed to a warlike element, and Leonard felt strongly about that,” Berman recalled.

Leonard Nimoy and Denise Crosby

Piller added:

We’re really telling the story of the unification of The Original Series and Next Generation , symbolically closing the gap that had always been in the fans’ minds, if no one else’s, between the two shows.

Making the union even more poignant was the death of Gene Roddenberry a week before “Unification, Part I” aired. The episode was given a title card commemorating the Star Trek creator.

A more humane face

“Unification” gave viewers a more complete view of Romulan society. It turned out not all Romulans were militaristic and prone to conspiracy. Later episodes of The Next Generation confirmed this.

“Face of the Enemy”, where Troi goes undercover aboard a Romulan Warbird, makes clear there is tension between the navy and Tal Shiar secret police. “Birthright” revealed Klingons and Romulans living together in peace. “Timescape” appears to show a Romulan attack on the Enterprise , but actually the Enterprise came to the Romulans’ aid.

“The Pegasus” confounded expectations again. The Romulans are back in their traditional oppositional role, but a Starfleet admiral is the real villain.

Marina Sirtis

Deep Space Nine

Deep Space Nine gave Romulans more reasons to distrust the Federation. In “The Search”, the Federation considers signing a peace treaty with the Dominion that excludes the Romulans. No wonder they’re so obnoxious the next time they show up, in “Visionary”.

In “Improbable Cause”, the Tal Shiar conspires with their Cardassian counterparts to destroy the Dominion homeworld. They are outwitted by the Founders in “The Die Is Cast”.

The episodes gave Moore, who had transferred to Deep Space Nine while Piller went on to co-create Star Trek: Voyager , a chance to redesign the Romulan uniform. “I hated, underline hated, the Romulan costumes. Big shoulder pads, the quilting, I just loathed it. I begged, insisted, screamed, pleaded,” the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion quotes him. Robert Blackman designed a tighter-fitting uniform for the Tal Shiar that was later given to other Romulans.

The Federation would betray the Romulans again in “In the Pale Moonlight”. A Romulan senator is given forged Dominion war plans and killed when he discovers the fake. His death is then made to look like a Dominion assassination.

Michael Taylor

Writer Michael Taylor drew inspiration from the Zimmerman telegram of 1917, in which the German foreign minister, Arthur Zimmermann, offered Mexico help to retake the Southwestern United States in order to keep America out of the war in Europe. It instead roused American support for joining the Allies. Even though, for a time, the telegram was thought to have been faked. Moore rewrote the script, but he wasn’t credited.

The Romulans became reliable allies of the Federation and Klingon Empire against the Dominion, but Deep Space Nine stabbed them in the back one more time. “Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges” frames a gregarious but war-weary senator in order to boost the career of her competitor, a Federation sympathizer. The plot was derived from John le Carré Cold War spy novel The Spy Who Came In From The Cold (1963). Little wonder Romulans are so suspicious around Starfleet.

John Logan

After two aborted attempts, Romulans got the theatrical treatment in Nemesis , the last of the movies starring the cast of The Next Generation . Writer John Logan told Star Trek: The Magazine he was “delighted” to give the Romulans such a prominent role. “I don’t think they’ve quite been explored enough.”

Logan drew on Roddenberry’s old Communist China comparison for inspiration:

For me the Communist Chinese is a really interesting world that was never fully explored, certainly in the movies, and not even as much as I would have liked in the series, except for individual episodes. I’ve always found that sort of Byzantine structure of Chinese Communism very interesting and very provocative, and lethal in a way I never found the Klingons. There is so much duplicity and mendacity and cleverness in the way the Romulans move through their world with very strategic chess moves. And also they are an old and ancient race, like the Vulcans, so they have gravitas to them, which I find very interesting.

The planet Remus had remained a mystery since its mention in “Balance of Terror”. Logan made the planet the homeworld of a separate, and subjugated, species: the Remans. “It seemed obvious to me,” he writes in the 2002 novelization of the movie by Jeanne M. Dillard, “that the Romulans would subjugate some other race to dig dilithium for them. Much too messy for our pristine and elegant Romulans.”

Applying the forehead ridges and makeup was still time-consuming, Dina Meyer, who portrayed the movie’s Commander Donatra, told Star Trek Monthly .

The morning makeup routine consisted of me going into hair and getting my head wrapped – they make your hair all pin-curled and they put your head in a wig cap, so all your hair is pulled off your face. Then you go to the makeup trailer, where they attach the prosthetic forehead and prosthetic ear tips and then they pile on the makeup. They need a spatula to put it on, it’s so thick.

Dina Meyer and Jude Ciccolella

The History Of The Romulans, And Their Place In The Star Trek Universe

Eric Bana as Nero in Star Trek (2009)

"Star Trek" is home to countless alien races, but few have as enduring a presence in the franchise as the Romulans. They're the most persistent adversaries of the Federation, so much so that blue-tinted Romulan Ale remains under trade embargo. This hostility makes it all the more ironic that they resemble humanity's first alien allies, the Vulcans , sharing their pointed ears and arched eyebrows.

The in-universe origin of the Romulans is that they were Vulcans, millennia ago. In that distant past, the Vulcans were a warlike people, far from the cold logicians that fans know. That changed when (in Earth's 4th century), the philosopher Surak taught his people to embrace logic and master their emotions. Not all Vulcans accepted Surak's teachings; "Those Who March Beneath The Raptor's Wings" were eventually exiled from Vulcan. These dissident Vulcans settled on the twin planets Romulus and Remus, evolving into the Romulans and personifying a violent path not taken by their Vulcan cousins.

"Star Trek" is big on allegory — the interstellar powers represent the geopolitics of the 20th century. The Federation is the United States of America, a democracy of many member states. As the Federation's most pressing rival, the Klingon Empire is the Soviet Union. The Romulan Star Empire is China, a "sleeping dragon" superpower.

So, why have the Romulans endured as a crucial part of "Star Trek" history — and what does their role in that history look like?

Romulans in the Original Series

The Romulans were created by writer Paul Schneider, debuting in the season 1 episode "Balance of Terror." The episode features the Enterprise reacting to the destruction of outposts along the Romulan Neutral Zone; the culprit is a Romulan ship armed with a cloaking device. The Romulans flee back home while the Enterprise pursues its invisible quarry in a cat-and-mouse game.

This episode established the Romulan Star Empire had fought humanity in a devastating war a century ago. The war ended with a Neutral Zone established between the two parties' territories. Notably, no human had ever seen a Romulan in this time (or at least, no human who survived to tell about it). That means the Enterprise crew is stunned when they discover their adversaries are identical to Vulcans. The Romulans' exact backstory isn't spelled out, but Spock (Leonard Nimoy) speculates they are a Vulcan offshoot who retained his ancestors' warlike ways.

Schneider modeled the Romulans on the Romans; their twin homeworlds are named for the mythical founders of Rome and they employ ranks like "Centurion." Interviewed for "The Captains' Logs" by authors Edward Gross and Mark Altman , Schneider explained: "I came up with the concept of the Romulans which was an extension of the Roman civilization to the point of space travel, and it turned out quite well."

The Romulans' ship, dubbed a "Bird of Prey" due to the hawk painted on its underbelly, also created an association between the Romulans and birds. By "Star Trek: The Next Generation," their imperial insignia had evolved into a stylized raptor. Their ancestors' moniker, "Those Who March Beneath The Raptor's Wings," was probably extrapolated from this connection too by writer André Bormanis (the name first appears in "Star Trek: Enterprise" episode, "Awakening," written by Bormanis).

Further appearances

"Balance of Terror" is one of the most acclaimed episodes of "Star Trek: The Original Series." It was even semi-remade for the season 1 finale of "Strange New Worlds," titled "A Quality of Mercy." The unnamed Romulan Commander (played by Mark Lenard, who would go on to play Spock's father, Sarek) is an especially well-remembered villain, predating Khan Noonien Singh as the first worthy adversary of Captain Kirk (William Shatner) and the Enterprise. Even with his last words, he retains dignity and honor: "I regret that we meet in this way. You and I are of a kind. In a different reality, I could have called you friend."

Despite this dynamite debut, the Romulans made only two more appearances in "The Original Series." They are the antagonists of the season 2 episode "The Deadly Years," about the Enterprise crew succumbing to premature aging. However, only their ships are seen, not the Romulans themselves. They make a second and final onscreen appearance in season 3's "The Enterprise Incident" ( written by the legendary D.C. Fontana ). In this episode, Spock seduces a Romulan commander (Joanne Linville) while Kirk poses as a Romulan officer to steal her ship's cloaking device.

According to "The Art of Star Trek" by Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens, "Romulans were originally intended to be more of an ongoing threat to the crew of the Enterprise, but the make-up requirements proved too expensive. Klingons were cheaper." Note how, in "Balance of Terror" and "The Enterprise Incident," Romulan extras often wear ear-concealing helmets — an easy way to bypass make-up expenses.

The Romulans had only minor roles in the six theatrical "Star Trek" films featuring the original cast. They were rejected as villains of the third film, "The Search for Spock," again in favor of the Klingons (this is why the Klingons in that film have a cloaked ship called a Bird of Prey).

The Rihannsu

During the 1980s, the Romulans took center-stage in "Rihannsu," a five-novel series written primarily by Diane Duane (Peter Morwood co-authored the second, "The Romulan Way.") Published from 1984 to 2006, the novels invented a culture and language for the Romulans wholesale; they are technically not "Trek" canon but remain acclaimed for their world-building.

"Rihannsu" ("The Declared") is the Romulans' native name for themselves, akin to how German people call their nation "Deutschland," the Japanese call theirs "Nippon," etc. They are driven by "D'era," an expansionist impulse akin to Manifest Destiny, and "Mnhei'sahe" (ruling passion), a complex code of conduct that is foremost a rejection of the Vulcan system of logic.

"Mnhei'sahe" is weighed by one's personal strength and devotion to the Empire. Romulans seek power not for personal benefit per se, but because greater power serves the Empire. Selflessness is an alien concept to the Romulans; do things for the sake of your own Mnhei'sahe and others will benefit in the process. "Mnhei'sahe" spreads its claws even into simple Romulan social interactions, where the ideal outcome is for both parties to depart with their honor intact.

Much of Duane's other additions are inferences based on "Balance of Terror" and "The Enterprise Incident." Akin to Rome, the Romulans are an Oligarchic Republic; a Praetor is elected by the Senate itself, not the people at large. "The Enterprise Incident" showed a Romulan woman with a high military rank. So, "Rihannsu" gave the Romulan society a matriarchial tilt; a Romulan's family lineage is derived from their mother, not their father.

Much of "Rihannsu" is a holdover from the suggestion in "Star Trek: The Original Series" that Romulans were a warrior culture. For instance, their society has a semi-feudal system with a strong emphasis on family affiliation. Canon material would take a different path, showing Romulans as militant but not exactly honorable.

The Next Generation

In "Star Trek: The Next Generation," the Klingons were now good guys (mostly). They also became the go-to warrior race of "Star Trek"; Klingon society took on Viking and Samurai characteristics, where war, personal honor, and feudal affiliation were everything.

The Romulans became less and less the noble Roman-esque adversaries that Schneider had conceived of, with "TNG" instead highlighting their duplicity (with the cloaking devices) and isolationism. Thus, the stereotypical traits of Romulans became paranoia, deception, and xenophobia.

The Romulans were reintroduced in "TNG" season 1 finale, "The Neutral Zone," where it's said they had stayed out of galactic affairs for much of the 24th century. The episode (where several of their colonies are destroyed by the to-be-revealed Borg) awakens them. Creator Gene Roddenberry had initially not wanted to use the Romulans, but poor reception to the Ferengi meant the Federation needed a new adversary. Thus, the Romulans became the most frequent alien antagonist in the series; the Federation and Klingons were united as their enemies. Recurring Romulan villains included Tomalak (Andreas Katsulas) and Sela (Denise Crosby).

The most notable additions to the Romulans in "TNG" included V-shaped forehead ridges (dimorphic evolution from their Vulcan cousins), the D'deridex Class (enormous green warships descended from the Birds-of-Prey from "The Original Series"), and the Tal Shiar, Romulus' secret police.

Romulan highlights in "TNG" include "The Defector" (a Romulan military officer defects to the Federation) and "Reunification" (where Ambassador Spock has begun a push on Romulus for the two peoples to be one again).

The Next Generation (cont'd)

The Romulans weren't as prominent in "Deep Space Nine" as in "The Next Generation," but that series featured them finally uniting with the Federation. While the Federation and Klingons fight a losing war with the expansionist Dominion, the Romulans initially stay on the sidelines.

In the season 6 episode, "In The Pale Moonlight," Captain Sisko (Avery Brooks) and Garak (Andrew Robinson) falsify evidence of the Dominion's plans to invade Romulus and try to sway Senator Vreenak (Stephen McHattie). When their deception is revealed, Garak (with Sisko none the wiser until it's done) pulls a move the Romulans would be proud of: he assassinates Vreenak and frames the Dominion. Thus, the Romulans join the war as allies, and remain so until the series' end.

The Romulans finally got a silver screen spotlight in "Star Trek: Nemesis," the final "TNG" theatrical film. The Romulan Senate is assassinated by a bio-weapon and a new Praetor, Shinzon (Tom Hardy), seizes power. It turns out Shinzon is a failed clone of Picard, the product of an aborted spying operation. The biggest wrinkle "Nemesis" introduces to the Romulans is the Remans. Playing on the pre-established twin planets Romulus and Remus, the grey-skinned Remans are a slave race, toiling as forced laborers and shock troops.

The film skimps on the details of Reman history, so viewers can surmise they evolved on Remus and were subjugated by the Romulans. However, the novel trilogy "Vulcan's Soul" by Josepha Sherman and Susan Shwartz builds on the Remans displaying telepathy like the Vulcans (which the Romulans have always lacked). In this telling, the Remans were Vulcan exiles who refused to give up their telepathy and so were oppressed by the future Romulans; their appearance stems from the poor living conditions on Remus.

Looking to the past

"Star Trek: Enterprise" was a prequel set in the 22nd century, beginning before first contact between humans and Romulans. That event was depicted in the season 2 episode "Minefield," when the Enterprise stumbles into Romulan territory and is disabled by a cloaked minefield. True to canon, only the Romulans' ships are seen in the episode.

The Romulans finally took a larger role in season 4. The three-parter, "The Forge/Awakening/Kir'Shara" was about a Vulcan conspiracy to invade the Andorians. The ending revealed that Vulcan Administrator V'Las (Robert Foxworth) was in league with the Romulans and secretly working towards reunification. A subsequent three-parter, "Babel One/United/The Aenar," featured the Romulans as the explicit villains. A Romulan drone-ship, equipped with a holographic projector and controlled by Admiral Valore (Brian Thompson), attacked ships throughout the Alpha Quadrant to ferment dissent (the story begins with it destroying an Andorian ship while disguised as a Tellarite one, it later destroys a Rigellian freighter while disguised as Enterprise, etc.). However, the attacks only wind up bringing the targeted races together.

"Enterprise" established a firm timeframe for the Earth-Romulan War: 2156 to 2160. Moreover, the war was revealed as the event that brought the Federation together; Humans, Vulcans, Andorians, and Tellarites united in a military alliance against Romulan expansionism and never broke apart. The Romulans' increased presence in season 4 was building up to the war, but unfortunately, "Enterprise" was canceled before subsequent seasons could depict it. Thus, the Earth-Romulan War remains undepicted onscreen, confined to novels "Beneath The Raptor's Wings" and "To Brave The Storm" (both by Michael A. Martin).

The home world destroyed

Romulans were again the villains of a "Star Trek" film in director JJ Abrams' eponymous reboot. In the year 2387, Romulus and Remus are destroyed when their star goes supernova, shattering the Empire. Spock manages to contain the explosion with the substance Red Matter, opening a wormhole that sends him back in time to the 23rd century. Following him is the Romulan mining vessel the Narada, captained by vengeful Captain Nero (Eric Bana) — his name is another allusion to ancient Rome . 

The Narada's presence creates an alternate timeline; Nero and his men destroy Vulcan with Red Matter before being defeated themselves. Nero and the Narada's crew stand out from other Romulans thanks to their shaved heads and tattoos; the admittedly non-canon comic "Star Trek: Countdown" suggests this is part of a mourning ritual. Normally the tattoos would fade, but Nero and his crew burnt them into their skin to ensure they'd never forget the loss of their home.

"Star Trek" returned to the "TNG" era with "Picard" and followed on from this point. It turns out that Starfleet offered to help evacuate Romulus, but after an attack on Mars, reneged on the plan; Picard himself resigned in disgust. The Romulans are far from extinct though. The Empire has collapsed into warring factions, one of which is the Romulan Free State. According to "Star Trek: Discovery," Vulcan/Romulan reunification will have become a reality by the 31st century. The groups remain culturally divided, but they again exist on the same planet, renamed from Vulcan to "Ni'var" (meaning two combined into one).

Romulan worldbuilding

Michael Chabon, showrunner of "Picard" season 1, also shared (via Medium) worldbuilding notes on the Romulans . These presumably influenced his onscreen depiction of them. Chabon writes that the Romulans are such secretive people that there is nothing more intimate to them than the truth; marriages have three participants because there must be third-party verification in everything.

The Romulan government is organized like an espionage network, with multiple competing cells, while Romulans all have four names: the common name (used for familiarity), imperial name (the state-recognized name), open name (for outsiders), and their true name (used only for close intimacy). Chabon suggests that a rumored reason for the Romulans' secrecy is the abundance of camouflaged predators on their adopted homeworld; their cloaked warbirds are modeled on a raptor whose plumage blends into the horizon.

Not all depictions of the Romulans totally align — compare Duane's Rihannsu to Chabon's Romulans. However, they all draw upon "The Original Series" and make inferences from there. "Star Trek" writers and fans aren't much different; they both take canon material and expand on it with some imagination.

"Star Trek" and its spin-offs are streaming on Paramount+.

This New 'Star Trek: Discovery' Character Is a Deep-Cut 'Deep Space Nine' Reference

Callum Keith Rennie's Captain Rayner is not Vulcan or Romulan after all.

The Big Picture

  • Callum Keith Rennie joins Star Trek: Discovery as Kellerun Captain Rayner, revealing the obscure species from Deep Space Nine .
  • Rayner's Kellerun backstory is crucial to Rayner's characterization and mission, with the showrunner promising a focus on his personal history.
  • Discovery continues the tradition of exploring one-off alien races with new characters, adding depth and diversity to the final season.

Veteran actor Callum Keith Rennie will join the cast of the final season of Star Trek: Discovery as the alien Captain Rayner, and now we know what species he is. Fans have speculated that Rayner's pointed ears mark him as a Vulcan or a Romulan, but a new interview reveals that he is a member of the Kellerun, an obscure species from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . TrekCore.com has the details from SFX Magazine's feature on Discovery 's upcoming fifth season , which will premiere on Paramount+ early next month.

Rayner's species will apparently be important to his characterization and the mysterious mission he joins the USS Discovery crew for, as they race against time in the show's final bow. Says showrunner Michelle Paradise , "He’s Kellerun, which is a minor planet mentioned in one of the other iterations… we learn more about his personal backstory and how that plays into who he is, and why he is how he is. We learn about that as the season goes on, and the planet he’s from has a lot to do with that." It won't be the first time an important character on Discovery comes from a one-off alien race; Commander Nhan ( Rachael Ancheril ), who debuted in the series' second season, is a Barzan, a race that had up to that point only appeared in the third-season Next Generation episode "The Price".

Who Are the Kellerun?

The Kellerun made their first and (so far) only appearance in "Armageddon Game", which first aired in 1994 as part of Deep Space Nine 's second season. A species with distinctive large, pointed ears, they had been at war for centuries with their neighbors, the T'Lani, in a conflict that utilized the Harvesters, deadly biological weapons. After the two races made peace with each other, Starfleet sent in Deep Space Nine crew members Dr. Julian Bashir ( Alexander Siddig ) and Miles O'Brien ( Colm Meany ) to help dismantle the remaining Harvesters. However, the Kellerun and T'Lani insist that all knowledge pertaining to the Harvesters must be destroyed - which means killing Bashir and O'Brien, too. The two have to make a desperate race for survival as their friends try to save them from the two alien species.

Although the Kellerun did not appear on the series again, the episode established Bashir and O'Brien's friendship, which endured for the rest of the show's run. Canadian actor Callum Keith Rennie is a veteran of science fiction productions, having starred in Battlestar Galactica , Impulse , The X-Files , Jessica Jones , and The Umbrella Academy . Discovery will be his first Star Trek appearance.

Star Trek: Discovery 's fifth and final season will premiere April 4, 2024 on Paramount+ , wehere past seasons are also streaming. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates, and watch the trailer for Discovery 's fifth season below.

Star Trek: Discovery

Taking place almost a decade before Captain Kirk's Enterprise, the USS Discovery charts a course to uncover new worlds and life forms.

Watch on Paramount+

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Star Trek: The Next Generation's Romulan Redesign Started A Series-Long Writer Feud

"Star Trek: The Next Generation" famously struggled creatively during its first season. The inaugural villains, the Ferengi, flopped (to the point actor Armin Shimmerman felt the need to repair their reputation when he returned to play Quark on the spin-off "Deep Space Nine"). So, the writers dug up some old foes with a storied history -- the Romulans . The Romulans returned in the season 1 finale, "The Neutral Zone," and became enduring enemies of the Enterprise-D.

The Romulans were once Vulcans but split off centuries ago after rejecting the path of logic and serenity. As a result, the Romulans share most of their cousins' physical features, such as pointed ears. In "Reunification," a two-part episode in "The Next Generation" season 5, Spock (Leonard Nimoy guest-starring) is working on Romulus to bring the Romulans and his people back together.

However, upon the Romulans' reintroduction in "The Neutral Zone," make-up Michael Westmore gave them some cosmetic surgery, including a V-shaped forehead ridge. According to the behind-the-scenes book "Star Trek: The Next Generation 365" by Paula M. Block and Terry J. Erdmann, Westmore wanted to make the Romulans look more "threatening" and make it so they could be easily distinguished from Vulcans.

According to that same book, writer Ronald D. Moore (who penned one of the series' best Romulan episodes, season 3's "The Defector") disagreed with Westmore's design ethos. Moore said, "I hated the foreheads on the Romulans. The backstory [established in 'Unification'] was that they were basically the same race, yet somehow the Romulans got these different foreheads at some point." "Star Trek: Picard" later amended this by stating the Romulans with ridged foreheads were from Romulus' northern regions, while the smooth-headed ones hailed from the South.

Moore was never shy about voicing disagreements when working on "Star Trek" and his problems with the Romulans' appearances don't end there.

Read more: Every Star Trek Show And Movie In Chronological Order

Different Romulan Outfits In Star Trek

According to "The Art of Star Trek" by Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens, the Romulan make-up on "Star Trek: The Original Series" was costly. That's why the "cheaper" Klingons became the go-to "Star Trek" villains , even though they debuted later. (The Romulans first appear in episode 14, "The Balance of Terror," while the Klingons debut in episode 26, "Errand of Mercy.")

In "The Original Series," the show saved on make-up by hiding Romulan extras' ears with helmets . Only the important Romulans got to bear their ears, like Mark Lenard's commander in "The Balance of Terror," and then Joanne Linville's commander and a disguised Captain Kirk (William Shatner) in "The Enterprise Incident." The Romulans wear silver-ish chainmail-style fabric with different-colored sashes denoting rank (the high-ranking ones wore pink sashes, and the grunts wore blue ones).

"The Next Generation" ditched the helmets and, after "The Neutral Zone," the sashes ( replaced with y-shaped torso belts ). The Romulans kept wearing grey, square-patterned shirts, though, now with extra padding, especially around the shoulders.

Moore thought these outfits looked terrible, the exact opposite of the "threatening" posture that Westmore was aiming for, and claimed he wasn't alone: 

"Big shoulder pads, the quilting. They were just dopey. And [executive producer] Rick [Berman] would defend them. It became this whole weird in-house political thing. We'd say, 'Can't we just get new uniforms for them?' And he'd say, 'We established them before any of you people were on the show, so...'"

The Romulans' next aesthetic update came in the 2009 "Star Trek" film directed by J.J. Abrams. The Romulan villains ( led by Eric Bana's Nero ) wear black trenchcoats over their shaved heads and tattooed bodies. I don't know if a look that edgy would be Moore's speed, but it sounds like he'd have preferred it over the Romulans' "TNG" appearance.

Read the original article on SlashFilm .

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Published Jul 27, 2020

The Story Behind Star Trek V: The Final Frontier's Musical Moment

Dan Kuramoto of the band Hiroshima explains how he got involved with Uhura's big number.

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

StarTrek.com | Getty Images - MICHAEL TRAN / Contributor

There’s a bizarre moment midway through Star Trek V: The Final Frontier , the William Shatner-helmed feature film enjoyed as much ironically as sincerely by Trekkies since its release in 1989. During a mission to rescue a trio of diplomats from the zealot Sybok, Captain James T. Kirk and company need a way to divert a group of armed revolutionaries so that our heroes can steal their horses and ride into combat. This diversion takes the form of Commander Uhura performing a live, nude cabaret act on a hilltop.

This scene tends to provoke a lot of questions from viewers. “Is that really Nichelle Nichols dancing dressed in nothing but two decorative fans and convenient lighting?” Yes, it is. “Is that her singing voice?” No, it isn’t, though she was promised it would be . And, finally, “What’s that song she’s singing?”

The voice belongs to Machun, then-vocalist for the band Hiroshima, and the song is “The Moon’s a Window to Heaven,” arranged and performed by Hiroshima both here and in the full-band version that features at the end of the film’s original soundtrack album. “The Moon’s a Window to Heaven” is one of only a handful of original songs ever written for Star Trek , a series that typically sticks to orchestral scores and time-tested catalog music. It’s first heard as the instrumental tune playing in the dive bar in Paradise City, where Romulan diplomat Caithlin Dar meets her Human and Klingon counterparts, days before being highlighted by Uhura’s live rendition. Its recurrence implies that the song is either a recent hit or a popular standard in the Federation, a rare glimpse into the state of pop music in the 23rd century.

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

StarTrek.com

The song is credited to legendary composer Jerry Goldsmith and lyricist John Bettis, but belongs just as much to Dan Kuramoto, composer, arranger, multi-instrumentalist, and bandleader for Hiroshima. Formed in 1974 in Los Angeles by Dan Kuramoto, June Kuramoto and Danny Yamamoto, Hiroshima has long represented the core Star Trek principle of Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations, augmenting the typical mid-century pop instrumentation of guitar, bass, keyboard, and drum kit with Japanese instruments like koto, shakuhachi, and taiko to create a unique and inimitable sound. Hiroshima has toured the world and sold over four million records , making a brief detour into the Star Trek universe along the way.

StarTrek.com recently interviewed Dan Kuramoto about the experience of creating this unique piece of deep Star Trek lore.

StarTrek.com: For readers unfamiliar with Hiroshima, how would you define your genre of music? You’ve been described as smooth jazz, jazz/rock fusion, you’ve got a Grammy nomination in the R&B Instrumental category, but when a stranger asks you what kind of music you play, what do you tell them?

Dan Kuramoto: We like to think we play American music, which is non-categorical/diverse/inclusive/evolving. Most of us grew up in minority communities that were very multicultural. Since most of the band is Japanese-American we are heavily influenced by Japanese music and musical instruments. In fact our ’star’ is June Kuramoto. She was born in Japan, came to the US at [age] 6 and is widely considered the greatest koto player in the world. She was raised in an African-American community in Los Angeles, so along with her lifetime of classical training she was also deeply influenced by R&B, Soul and Jazz. Our second Grammy nomination was in the contemporary jazz category, so even the Grammys see us in various styles.

By 1989, Hiroshima had a gold record and a Grammy nomination under their belts. How did you become involved in Star Trek V ?

DK: I honestly think Star Trek was looking for a music that was truly different—but relatable. I think because we are so different stylistically, but popular enough to have sold millions of records, [that] made us interesting. I had no idea that we would get to work with the brilliant Jerry Goldsmith, who was an amazing mentor. He liked our blending of cultures in our music.

What was your level of familiarity with Star Trek before working on the film?

DK: We were huge fans of the TV series, and George Takei was a big supporter of our band.  And we saw all the movies. Our friends — the jazz group, Yellowjackets — had done some music in the film that preceded ours.

What was the state of “The Moon’s a Window to Heaven” when you first heard it? Was it just words and music on a page, were there demos? I’d love to know how the arrangement came together.

DK: We had a song title. We were told we’d do a song and some music cues. It all came together pretty quickly… I really don’t recall at this point when we got the final melody and lyrics. John [Bettis] did the lyrics and we worked together on the rest. John is a total pro. Just chilled with his pipe, he really understood working with the studios and made life easy. And very talented.

What was your personal impression of Jerry Goldsmith?

DK : Man, Jerry was a very heavy cat! I was very familiar with his scores—he was one of the true pioneers of combining the orchestra with electronics and synthesizer and creating new sounds. A genius who really “cracked the whip.” Made us understand that you had to work fast and be adaptable. Gave me so much good advice!

You’re a very prolific composer, credited with the bulk of the Hiroshima catalog. Was working within the framework of someone else’s words and melody more freeing, or more confining?

DK: Actually I was surprised they gave me almost total freedom. They let me cut the rhythm tracks on my own at the studio of my choice. Later we finished up on the lot and Bill Shatner — who directed — just sort of hung out with us! At one point he took off his Star Tre k pin and pinned it on my jacket. I still have it.

Did you receive any specific notes or direction from William Shatner about what he wanted out of the track, or the purpose he wanted it to serve for the film?

DK: Bill was pretty new to directing and he pretty much left the music up to us and Jerry.

“The Moon’s a Window to Heaven” is, theoretically, a pop song from the distant future. Was there any effort to try and be predictive or conjectural about what a Top 10 hit from 2287 might sound like?

DK: Ha! No. We were trying to just make the scene work.

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

What was your first reaction when you heard the song in the context of the film? It is a, uh, well, it’s a talked-about moment.

DK: Well, we were very honored to be a part of a Star Trek film. I recall at the time we were on tour playing Wolf Trap in Tyson’s Corner, Virginia and we saw the movie.

Did being featured on a Star Trek film soundtrack have an effect on widening your audience?

DK: Not noticeably, but we haven’t featured “The Moon’s a Window to Heaven” in a Hiroshima live set yet.

Hiroshima continues to tour the United States and is currently working on a new album expected to be released in Fall 2020. For more information about the band, visit hiroshimamusic.com.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

Dylan Roth (he/him) is a freelance pop culture writer and one quarter of the NY-based rock band The Hell Yeah Babies. You can follow him on Twitter @DylanRoth.

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Memory Alpha

Earth-Romulan War

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The Earth-Romulan War , also known as the Romulan War , was a major interstellar conflict fought from 2156 to 2160 between the forces of United Earth and those of the Romulan Star Empire . Its conclusion, which was marked by an Earth/ Andorian / Vulcan / Tellarite alliance decisively defeating the Romulans at the Battle of Cheron , led to the establishment of the Romulan Neutral Zone and immediately preceded the incorporation of the United Federation of Planets . ( ENT : " In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II "; TOS : " Balance of Terror ")

  • 2 Open conflict
  • 3 Aftermath
  • 4.1.1 Spaceflight Chronology (1979)
  • 4.1.2 Federation - The First 150 Years (2012)
  • 4.2 Apocrypha
  • 4.3 External links

Prelude [ ]

Talok

Major Talok , a Romulan operative assigned to Vulcan in the 22nd century

Romulan drone ship (quarter)

A Romulan drone ship, used in the campaign to destabilize the Alpha Quadrant in 2154

In the early 2150s , Earth began to make impressive diplomatic and military advancements in the Alpha Quadrant . Major conflict between the Vulcans , Andorians , and Tellarites had for the most part ended thanks to diplomatic intervention by United Earth and the starship Enterprise , under the command of Captain Jonathan Archer . The Romulans saw this newfound peace in the region unacceptable, and thus began a carefully crafted campaign to destabilize the region and maintain the status quo of conflict between the quadrant's major powers.

At some point prior to 2154 , a reunification movement began to become popular among some Romulan and Vulcan citizens. In that year, the Vulcan High Command , under the leadership of Administrator V'Las , planned to launch a preemptive strike against Andoria , citing that the Andorians were developing weaponry based on Xindi technology. Additionally, the Earth embassy on Vulcan was bombed prior to the attempted execution of these plans, prompting involvement by United Earth and Starfleet . Although V'Las's plans were halted and his involvement with the bombing was exposed, his connection with a Romulan operative who had been working on Vulcan with V'Las for several years remained secret. ( ENT : " The Forge ", " Awakening ", " Kir'Shara ")

Later that year , the Romulans attempted to incite a war between Andoria and Tellar by using automated drone ships to attack Andorian and Tellarite targets. Unfortunately for the Romulans, this had the opposite effect of what they were hoping to achieve; instead of destabilizing and dividing the region, the attacks resulted in a successful allied effort to stop the drone ships and return peace to the region. ( ENT : " Babel One ", " United ", " The Aenar ")

In early 2155 , the consolidation of interests among Earth and some of its neighbors reached a new milestone, when a conference to form a Coalition of Planets was convened. It included participants from the later war allies and Federation founders, i.e., Vulcan, Andoria, and Tellar, in addition to United Earth. ( ENT : " Terra Prime ", " Demons ")

Open conflict [ ]

Romulan bird-of-prey, ENT-aft, duet

A pair of 22nd century Romulan Birds-of-Prey

In 2156 , Earth forces and the Romulan Empire entered a state of war. It ultimately continued until 2160 . ( ENT : " In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II "; TOS : " Balance of Terror ")

In 2266 , Spock categorized the weaponry generally used in the Earth-Romulan War as atomic in nature, and fairly primitive at that. He also characterized the ships in use as primitive, and designed in ways that did not permit quarter or captives.

Romulan starships were painted to resemble a " bird of prey ", a tradition kept through the mid- 23rd century . Ship-to-ship visual communication between Earth-allied ships and Romulan-allied ships did not take place during the war or during the peace negotiations.

Among the casualties during the course of the war included several members of the Stiles family , including one Captain Stiles , two commanders and several junior officers . ( TOS : " Balance of Terror ") A number of MACOs also fought in the war, including Balthazar Edison . ( Star Trek Beyond )

The Battle of Cheron in 2160 is generally considered the decisive battle that marked the end of the Earth-Romulan War. Both sides recognized the major victory achieved here by a Human/Vulcan/Andorian/Tellarite alliance as a humiliating defeat of the Romulan military. This event established long-term political effects within the Romulan Empire that went on to last well into the 24th century . ( ENT : " In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II "; TNG : " The Defector ")

Aftermath [ ]

Romulan Neutral Zone map, 2266

The peace treaty following the war established the Romulan Neutral Zone

Despite the Romulan's 2154 campaign of destabilization and the war that followed, Earth and Romulus learned little of each other in the 22nd century. In fact, it would be over a century before any Human would even see what a Romulan looked like. ( TOS : " Balance of Terror ")

Following the Battle of Cheron, the two sides negotiated a treaty via subspace radio . Among other things, it established a neutral zone , entry into which by either side would constitute an act of war. Earth set up at least eight outpost stations on asteroids along its side of the Neutral Zone to monitor Romulan activity.

From a 23rd-century Human perspective, the Neutral Zone represented an area "between planets Romulus and Remus and the rest of the galaxy ." Some Humans still harbored resentment over the war after over a century of peace, including Lieutenant Stiles of the USS Enterprise . ( TOS : " Balance of Terror ") As acknowledged by Saru , the Romulans were still considered enemies of the Federation well into the 2250s . ( DIS : " Unification III ")

Despite these Human attitudes, until 2266 the Neutral Zone served its purpose and the treaty had remained unbroken. In fact, one might say it served its purpose too well, as there were limited or no contacts between Earth and the Romulan Star Empire from the conclusion of the war until the mid-23rd century. ( TOS : " Balance of Terror ")

During the Dominion War , two centuries later , Captain Benjamin Sisko alluded to this war when he warned the Federation President Jaresh-Inyo of " the thought of a Jem'Hadar army landing on Earth without opposition. " Adding that, " They don't care about the conventions of war or protecting civilians . They will not limit themselves to military targets. They'll be waging the kind of war that Earth hasn't seen since the founding of the Federation. " ( DS9 : " Paradise Lost ")

Appendices [ ]

Background information [ ].

Historical archive, Starfleet (production resource)

A viewscreen graphic seen in "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II" depicting an excerpt of the Starfleet historical archive, including details about the Romulan War

The details of the Earth-Romulan War have remained canonically vague. As Spock said about the war, " As you recall from your histories, this conflict was fought, by our standards today, with primitive atomic weapons and in primitive space vessels which allowed no quarter, no captives. Nor was there even ship-to-ship, visual communication; therefore, no Human, Romulan, or ally has ever seen the other. Earth believes the Romulans to be warlike, cruel, treacherous... and only the Romulans know what they think of Earth. " The exact dates for the war and several details above are derived from a viewscreen graphic seen in the Star Trek: Enterprise episode " In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II ". The graphic was comprised of data points from an outdated version of the Star Trek Chronology .

Prior to this, a behind-the-scenes newspaper clipping titled It's Federation Day! , which was among the collection found in the Picard family album from Star Trek Generations , dated "11 Oct. 2161 ", stated that the war ended "a little more than a year" prior to the final declaration of peace and the foundation of the Federation . This source also stated that the war ended with the Battle of Cheron in early 2160 . This information did not appear on screen.

Michael and Denise Okuda wrote in the Star Trek Chronology , " " Homefront " ( DS9 ) seemed to imply that the Romulan Wars actually reached Earth. "

Some evidence indicates that Earth itself commenced the conflict, as Data remarked in "The Defector" that " in their long history of war, the Romulans have rarely attacked first…. They prefer to test their enemy's resolve. " In other words, Earth may have been provoked into acting first, either intentionally or possibly inadvertently. However, it may have been one of the few occasions on which the Romulans did attack first, such as the events that transpired in " Balance of Terror ".

The fourth season of Star Trek: Enterprise began to show the very early beginning of the coming conflict with the Romulans. Writing couple Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens kept what had and hadn't been established about the war in mind during the writing of the Babel Crisis trilogy of episodes (namely, " Babel One ", " United ", and " The Aenar "), including the fan expectation that the Federation had been formed in the aftermath of the conflict. In fact, while the trilogy was in development, very little had been confirmed about the timing of the war. Recalling the little evidence available from canon, Garfield Reeves-Stevens commented, " All we know is that the Romulan Wars occurred about the same time the Federation occurred in – we know the year the Federation occurred in but we don't know what year the Romulan War occurred in or how long it lasted. We know it was fought and we know they never met each other. So we typed up memos with these key points that everyone should keep in mind in developing stories, and one conversation we had was that in the original series it was never called the Romulan Wars, it was called the Romulan Conflict, and everyone was concerned with how you could have a war where the antagonists never meet. We came up with the idea that what if it was a phony war and the Romulans were sending out robotic ships. " These concepts never made it into established canon but did influence the trilogy and inspired the invention of the Romulan drone ships. ( Cinefantastique , Vol. 37, No. 2, pp. 39-40)

Had Enterprise been renewed for a fifth season, it would have continued to show the whispers of the Romulan War and eventually allow the conflict to be realized on screen. Additionally, according to rumors at the time, Rick Berman and Brannon Braga considered making " Future Guy " a Romulan. However, this was simply a "red herring": Braga intended "Future Guy" to be a future version of Jonathan Archer . [1] [2]

An early concept for a proposed eleventh Star Trek film – Star Trek: The Beginning – would have revealed the beginnings of the Earth-Romulan War. However, this concept, which included Romulan drone ships in the conflict, was scrapped for the film Star Trek .

In the Star Trek Star Fleet Technical Manual , Franz Joseph offered a one-page version of the subspace peace treaty that concluded the war. It was signed by "Christofur Thorpe" for Earth and "Praetor Karzan" for the Romulans.

There are several points of ambiguity involved with this time period. For more information on those topics, please see cloaking device , Romulan Bird-of-Prey (22nd century) , and Romulan Bird-of-Prey .

Spaceflight Chronology (1979) [ ]

Spaceflight Chronology starchart 2

A starchart depicting the locations where the USS Muleskinner and the Diana were attacked

In the reference book Spaceflight Chronology , more detailed accounts are given of the events that led to the war and the war itself. Fourteen years prior to the actual war, the Romulan Star Empire began a campaign of attacks disguised as random space pirate activity. The first of these attacks was the hijacking of the ore freighter USS Muleskinner . Two years later, the Delta VII outpost was attacked. Five years after this, the commercial transport Diana was attacked with its cargo stolen and crew killed. Four years prior to the actual war, the reports on piracy attacks were, for the first time, perceived as possibly being organized. Three years before the war, Starbase 1 , in Sector 3A, was destroyed by what was still believed to be an act of space piracy. Romulans were, for the first time, identified as the culprits. All transports were given military escorts at this time. Two years before the war, the Romulan threat became apparent. A year before the war, Romulans made a number of hit-and-run attacks on several sectors.

The actual war began when a full Romulan invasion fleet, advancing on the Rigel system , was encountered by the destroyer USS Patton . In the second year of the war, Romulans managed to destroy a mining complex in Sector 5B. A Romulan armada was completely destroyed in Sector 7. In the third year of the war, Romulans attacked Alpha Omega. Victory in the war was credited to advanced ship-mounted laser weaponry, developed only two years before the war as a response to the destruction of Starbase 1. The dates of these events in the timeline of the Spaceflight Chronology differ from the canonical timeline. Also, the major difference between these accounts and canonical accounts is that the war is stated to have been fought by the Federation, not the allied forces as was established later on in the viewscreen graphic from " In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II ".

Federation - The First 150 Years (2012) [ ]

According to the reference book Star Trek: Federation - The First 150 Years , Praetor Gileus led the Romulan Star Empire into the war against United Earth by ordering a surprise attack on Starbase 1, on Algeron. During the conflict, Denobula tried to remain neutral, but in 2158 a Romulan fleet attacked the planet in order to use one of its orbital space stations as staging ground for an attack on the Sol system ; fortunately for Earth, Starfleet assumed as much and was able to prepare defenses, turning the eventual assault into a Midway -esque catastrophe from which the Romulans would never recover. Although this occupation only lasted a short time, three million Denobulans were killed by orbital strikes, causing them to be more skeptical and to not join the Federation immediately, in 2161.

The Battle of Cheron was ultimately won by Earth when the starship Lexington , combined with a small fleet of Denobulan ships, set a course for Romulus. Gileus, fearing that the impending attack would threaten his power, prematurely ordered his fleet defending Cheron to return to Romulus mid-battle, allowing Enterprise and Atlantis to destroy the shipyards there. Shortly afterwards, the Romulans sued for peace, and the Neutral Zone was established.

Apocrypha [ ]

The Pocket ENT "relaunch" arc by Michael A. Martin , which is consistent with the Star Trek: Destiny series of novels by David Mack, covers the events from the end of Enterprise to the Romulan War. It starts with Trip Tucker faking his death so he can spy on the Romulans, who are attempting to create a warp -seven capable ship. This reinterprets the events shown in " These Are the Voyages... ", moving them to 2155 . According to the series, the Romulans started the war out of fear of the birth of the Coalition of Planets , by attacking proposed member Coridanite (thus delaying their entrance into the alliance until The Original Series ) and then by attacking a number of Coalition ships using a telecapture device and destroying the Kobayashi Maru as seen in the novel Kobayashi Maru . The novel series Star Trek: Enterprise - The Romulan War details the war proper. According to the novel Last Full Measure as well as the older novel Starfleet: Year One , the Federation was born as a result of the conflict.

In DC Comics ' The Mirror Universe Saga , the Earth-Romulan War marks the point of divergence for the mirror universe ; in the mirror universe, Earth lost the war, was occupied by the Romulans, and the resistance that eventually fought them off took control of the planet and proclaimed that Humanity would now be the conquerors, not the conquered. This was later on established not to be the case in the Star Trek: Enterprise episodes " In a Mirror, Darkly " and " In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II ", that establish that, if there was a divergence point, it was somewhere before the 16th century .

According to the 2006 game Star Trek: Legacy , a Vulcan scientist named T'Uerell supplied the Romulan Star Empire with metagenic weapons to use against Earth colonies. Earth used the radiation from nuclear reactors in the Tyburn system to halt a large Romulan force from reaching Earth – explaining the use of atomic weapons. The Last Unicorn Games book Among the Clans: The Andorians makes reference to a series of Earth-Romulan wars , taking place during roughly the same time as the single canonical war.

Diane Duane 's 1987 novel The Romulan Way , published fourteen years before Star Trek: Enterprise aired, gives an entirely different version of events. In this version, the Romulans were still a pre-warp people when the Federation discovered them. The Romulans mistook the exploration vessel for a precursor to invasion and quickly created a fleet of primitive, sublight warships which they used to capture the next Federation ship to approach Romulus. From it, they reverse-engineered a number of technologies, including warp drive . Things escalated from there, and the Federation eventually negotiated the Treaty of Alpha Trianguli entirely by subspace radio , setting up the terms of the Romulan Neutral Zone and designating a swathe of space surrounding the Romulus system as the Romulan Star Empire.

During this time, Romulans were supposedly using ships that did not have warp drive, as stated in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode " Balance of Terror "; later on, in Enterprise , Romulans clearly possessed warp drive, after using the Romulan drone ship in an attempt to destabilize the Alpha Quadrant. The drone ships were modeled after a modified Romulan warbird and already possessed warp 5 capability , well prior to the war itself.

External links [ ]

  • Earth-Romulan War at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
  • Warp Drive and Romulan History  at Ex Astris Scientia : a discussion of warp drive and Romulan ships
  • 2 USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-G)
  • 3 Star Trek: The Next Generation

Screen Rant

10 star trek characters j.j. abrams introduced to canon.

J.J. Abrams' ambitious and exciting Star Trek Kelvin Timeline movies also introduce several new and vital characters to the movies' canon.

  • J.J. Abrams rebooted Star Trek in 2009 with a new USS Enterprise crew and the creation of the Kelvin Timeline.
  • George Kirk, Winona Kirk, and Jaylah are key characters introduced into the franchise by Abrams.
  • Abrams' Star Trek Kelvin-universe movies prioritize character and crew-based tension, with notable character developments and impactful villains.

Star Trek (2009) introduced the much-loved franchise to a new audience with a successful reboot. Director J.J. Abrams’ initial space-faring feature film launched a new, superbly recast Star Trek: The Original Series crew and introduced the anything-goes alternate Kelvin Timeline. Initially introducing origin stories for the movie’s leading characters, James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) and Spock (Zachary Quinto), a series of unexpected and dramatic events soon leads to the early formation of the young, iconic USS Enterprise crew. As Kirk and Spock, Captain Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood), and the crew of the USS Enterprise work to overcome the universe-altering threat, a slew of familiar and new faces make spaces of significance in Federation history .

Over Abrams’ three Kelvin Timeline Star Trek movies, previously established but unseen and newly originated characters are revealed to delight or terrify audiences. The three movies’ villains devastatingly influence Federation history, substantially affecting Star Trek’s established multiverse timeline and posing dangers previously unseen. It’s important to note that Abrams’ films commendably prioritize character and crew-based tension as a primary source of conflict, resulting in subtle yet worthy character developments and heightening the impact and fall-out of each villain’s despicable drive. With a focus on these new and previously unseen faces, here’s a look at ten Star Trek characters J.J. Abrams introduced into canon .

10 J.J. Abrams Star Trek Movie Positives You Only Notice On Rewatch

10 lieutenant george kirk, chris hemsworth - star trek (2009).

Previously unseen in the Star Trek franchise, Lt. George Kirk (Chris Hemsworth) served on the USS Kelvin under the command of Captain Richard Robau (Faran Tahir). George was the youngest First Officer in Starfleet history at the age of 29 – a legacy later advanced by his son, James T. Kirk (youngest captain). Following Nero’s arrival and the subsequent murder of Robau, George Kirk was advanced to the USS Kelvin’s commanding officer. Winona Kirk (Jennifer Morrison), a fellow Kelvin crewmember and pregnant wife to George, is removed to an escaping medical shuttle when George Kirk evacuates the ship in light of Nero’s attack. With the ship’s automatic controls offline, George Kirk opts to remain on board and gives his life, manually pilot the ship into Nero's ship, the Narada, to protect the escaping shuttles.

It’s hard to overstate the significance and influence that George Kirk had on Starfleet history.

George Kirk’s youngest son, James Tiberius Kirk, was born and named moments before George’s death. In Star Trek Beyond , Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) is troubled by his turning a year older than George was when he died, contrasting the reasons they each enlisted in Starfleet. Kirk says, “ He joined because he believed in it. I joined on a dare .” It’s hard to overstate the significance and influence that George Kirk had on Starfleet history, as well impact on the life choices and development of his youngest son. Making the ultimate sacrifice to aid in the survival of others, George Kirk makes a bold and explosive entrance into Star Trek legend.

9 Winona Kirk

Jennifer morrison - star trek (2009).

Winona Kirk (Jennifer Morrison) was the wife of Lt. George Kirk and mother of Captain James T. Kirk (and Jim's older brother George Samuel Kirk ). In 2233, pregnant with James, Winona Kirk, in the final stages of her pregnancy, was evacuated to Medical Shuttle 37 during the Romulan mining vessel Narada’s attack on the USS Kelvin. Advanced to acting Captain, George Kirk ordered the crew’s evacuation and Winona was transferred via wheelchair. The baby was born prematurely during the attack, named “James Tiberius” after his grandfathers, moments before George Kirk piloted the Kelvin into the Narada to protect the escaping shuttles.

Winona Kirk's significant and developing character adds further layers to the Kirk family dynamics.

When Winona returned to Earth as a widow , she settled to raise her young family in Riverside, Iowa. She subsequently returned to working for Starfleet, spending periods off-planet during her sons’ youth. Though Winona’s later relationship with Jim is not (yet) specified, Captain Kirk’s comment to Dr. McCoy (Karl Urban) in Star Trek Beyond that he planned to call her “ on the day ” (his birthday and anniversary of his father’s death) suggests at least a degree of emotional complexity and trauma. In Star Trek (2009), Winona Kirk is seen on-screen for the first time. Winona Kirk’s significant and developing character adds further layers to the Kirk family dynamics and character histories, and the franchise’s rich overall lore.

8 Captain Richard Robeau

Faran tahir - star trek (2009).

Introduced in Star Trek (2009), Captain Richard Robau (Faran Tahir) was the commanding officer of the USS Kelvin . When Nero and the Romulan mining vessel Narada encountered the USS Kelvin following their temporal incursion in 2233, Ayel (Clifton Collins Jr.) instructed Captain Robau to shuttle across for negotiations. With no available options, Robau delegated command of the Kelvin to Lt. George Kirk and boarded the Narada. Questioned, Ayel then demands the current stardate. Infuriated by the knowledge that they had become stranded in the past, Nero murders Captain Robau with a large-bladed weapon and resumes the attack on the USS Kelvin.

Robau is also the first example of a 23rd-century Starfleet Captain Star Trek (2009) introduced as the alternate Kelvin Timeline was created.

Captain Robau’s obvious strength and commitment to his crew and the Federation demonstrate professional versatility and deep respect for those around him. Robau's courage and innate calm accentuate his place in Federation history as the USS Kelvin’s ill-fated commanding officer. Robau is also the first example of a 23rd-century Starfleet Captain Star Trek (2009) introduced as the alternate Kelvin Timeline was created.

7 Nero & Ayel

Eric bana & clifton collins jr. - star trek into darkness.

The Romulan captain and second-in-command crew member of the 24th-century mining ship Narada were directly responsible for the formation of the alternate Kelvin timeline in Star Trek (2009). When a supernova of the system’s sun destroyed Romulus in 2387, Nero (Eric Bana) blamed the Prime-universe Ambassador Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and the Federation for failing to prevent the disaster and sought revenge. Inadvertently pulled into the artificially created red matter black hole designed to counter the supernova, the Narada is pulled into an alternate universe, back in time to 2233, where Nero and his crew soon encounter and attack the USS Kelvin.

Over many years, Nero’s actions resulted in the deaths of many. After Spock Prime’s arrival in the Kelvin timeline , Nero orders an attack on Vulcan – opening a singularity at the planet’s core – and later attempts a similar attack on Earth. By the sheer numbers involved in the “ particularly troubled Romulan ” commander’s genocide of Vulcan, Nero is one of Star Trek ’s most vicious and most significant villains .

Nero destroying the planet Vulcan created one of the most significant divergences between Star Trek 's Kelvin and Prime Timelines.

Ayel, a Romulan miner and second-in-command to Nero, supported Nero and regularly spoke in his stead. Ayel assists in Nero’s destructions , loyal to the captain but not sharing the depth of his need for revenge. Ayel attacks James T. Kirk on several occasions but falls from a high platform after Kirk shoots him with a Romulan disruptor. Nero is later lost when the Narada is ravaged by ignited red matter and pulled into a black hole.

Chris Pine's Star Trek Movies Explained

6 thomas harewood, noel clarke - star trek into darkness.

Noel Clarke stars in Star Trek Into Darkness as Thomas Harewood, a Starfleet officer and a member of the secretive and morally objectionable organization – Section 31. Primarily motivated by his family, Thomas was married to Rima Harewood (Nazneen Contractor) with their ailing and terminally ill daughter Lucille (Anjini Taneja Azhar) suffering in a critical care children’s hospital. Quietly coerced by John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch), later revealed to be Khan Noonien Singh, Thomas Harewood agrees to assist in an attack on Starfleet in return for Harrison saving his daughter’s life through a small transfusion of augmented blood.

Harewood's story briefly contemplates the complexities of morality, humanity, and torn allegiances, pitting the horrors of death, compulsion, and destruction against the realities of parental love.

In exchange, Harewood detonates a bomb in the sub-basement of London’s Kelvin Memorial Archive – allowing for a later, more direct attack on high-ranking personnel at Starfleet Command intended to kill Admiral Alexander Marcus (Peter Weller). Prior to detonation, Harewood sends a short transmission to Marcus explaining his actions and that he had acted to save his daughter. Forty-two people, including Thomas Harewood, died in the bombing. Harewood’s story briefly contemplates the complexities of morality, humanity, and torn allegiances, pitting the horrors of death, compulsion, and destruction against the realities of parental love.

5 Admiral Alexander Marcus

Peter weller - star trek into darkess.

Fleet Admiral Alexander Marcus was the head of Starfleet and leader of the secretive Section 31 . Conspiring to create a war with the Klingons, Marcus used the revived and genetically augmented Khan Noonien Singh to develop advanced weaponry and further his aberrant goals. Holding Khan’s fellow Augments hostage later led to the disruption of his schemes when Khan escaped with the other Augments and attacked several Starfleet locations – a Section 31 facility disguised within the Kelvin Memorial Archive in London and an emergency session of high-ranking officials at Starfleet Command.

Marcus was father to Dr. Carol Marcus (Alice Eve) , who had falsified her transfer into the USS Enterprise under the name Dr. Carol Wallace, and mentor to Admiral Christopher Pike (Bruce Greenwood), citing himself as the reason for Pike’s enlistment in Starfleet. Admiral Alexander Marcus’ conniving and cunning were counter to the ideals and responsibilities of his station and resulted in the death of many innocents. Marcus was killed by Khan following a failed attempt to recapture the augment and destroy evidence and witnesses to his illegalities treachery

Peter Weller also appeared as John Frederick Paxton in "Demons" and "Terra Prime" in Star Trek: Enterprise, season four.

Sofia Boutella - Star Trek Beyond

A member of an unknown species, Jaylah teamed up with USS Enterprise Chief Engineer Montgomery “Scotty” Scott (Simon Pegg) following Krall’s attack on the ship – and later worked with the Enterprise command crew to escape the planet and defeat Krall. A survivor of an earlier attack by Krall, her family subsequently killed, Jaylah had lived on Altamid for many years – hidden among the wreckage of the USS Franklin using holographic technology to conceal and defend herself, scavenging for parts and working to restore the ship.

Having learned to speak English from Franklin’s ship records and music library, later used to disrupt the Swarm ships’ cyber-pathic connection with a meaningful song, Jaylah worked through emotional and traumatic memories to provide a rough map of Krall’s base and assist in the rescue of USS Enterprise officers and crewmembers. After the escape, Jaylah joins the crew in celebrating Captain Kirk’s 30th birthday and is offered acceptance into Starfleet Academy . Jaylah’s lone, impressive character is meaningful and bold, hopeful though damaged, showcasing a courageous determination and passion for life and knowledge that echoes Star Trek ’s core ideals .

Jaylah was Inspired by Jennifer Lawrence 's character in Winter's Bone.

3 Krall AKA Captain Balthazar Edison

Idris elba - star trek beyond.

The primary villain in Star Trek Beyond , Krall was formerly a human Starfleet Captain who commanded the USS Franklin in the 22nd century. Initially serving as a MACO (Military Assault Command Operations) during the Xindi and Romulan Wars, Captain Balthazar Edison was left stranded on the planet Altamid after the USS Franklin crash-landed. Using alien energy transference technology found on the planet, Edison mutated himself into alien form to prolong his life and take on new abilities. Edison objected to the ideals of peace, tolerance, and unity that the Federation was founded on and, as Krall, sought to destroy it.

Krall was ultimately defeated by Captain Kirk, consumed by the Abronath, and sucked into open space.

Captain Balthazar Edison transformed into Krall , his frustration with the Federation amplifying into active hate and a belief that unity was a weakness. Krall made use of other technologies on the planet, too, learning about and searching for the Abronath – a powerful weapon, split into two pieces – later learning that the missing half was onboard the USS Enterprise. Sending Kalara to lure the Enterprise to Altamid, Krall used his Swarm drone to “ cut their throats ” and devastated the ship. Later locating the missing Abronath artifact, Krall launched an attack to destroy all life on the new Starbase Yorktown . Krall was ultimately defeated by Captain Kirk, consumed by the Abronath, and sucked into open space.

Chris Pine’s Star Trek Movies Ranked Worst To Best

2 kalara aka jessica wolfe, lydia wilson - star trek beyond.

At Starbase Yorktown, Kalara arrives in an escape pod and explains that her ship and crew are stranded on the planet Altamid in a nearby nebula. She requests aid to rescue them, and the USS Enterprise is assigned. As Captain Kirk and the Enterprise crew set course, Kalara helps lure them into a carefully orchestrated trap. Formerly a human Starfleet officer serving as a scientist on the 22nd-century USS Franklin , Jessica Wolff was stranded with Captain Balthazar Edison and the USS Franklin crew when a wormhole led to a crash landing. Among the few survivors, Wolff used an energy transference technology found on the planet to artificially prolong her life, transform her appearance, and renamed herself Kalara.

Mutated over time by the energy transference into an alien form, Kalara joined Captain Kirk and Ensign Pavel Chekov (Anton Yelchin) on the planet’s surface after the devastating attack on the Enterprise. When Kirk soon suspects her of dishonesty and involvement in the attack, Kalara is tricked into messaging Krall – exposing her true intentions and Krall’s location at the same time. Duplicitous and deadly, Kalara is subsequently killed in the ensuing fight between Kirk and Chekov and members of Krall’s Swarm , crushed when the Enterprise’s wrecked saucer section is overturned.

1 Commodore Paris

Shohreh aghdashloo - star trek beyond.

Star Trek Beyond introduces Commodore Paris (Shohreh Aghdashloo) as the commanding officer of Starfleet’s newest and most impressive Starbase , Yorktown. Kindly and wise, Commodore Paris is understanding of Captain Kirk’s uncharacteristic uncertainty regarding his future when he applies for promotion to a Vice-Admiral position at Paris’ Yorktown, ultimately offering him the role upon his return from the disastrous rescue mission to Altamid.

Commodore Paris is professional and warm, providing subtle yet valuable insight and advice, occupying an influential position of power and respect that accentuates her moral capability.

With Captain Kirk, Commodore Paris receives a request for assistance from the unexpected Kalara – her ship and crew apparently stranded on the planet in a nearby nebula. Upon Kirk’s return, Paris closes the long-pondered files on Captain Balthazar Edison and the crew of the USS Franklin and commends Kirk and his crew for their actions surrounding the attack on Yorktown.

Kirk declines the promotion in favor of commanding the new USS Enterprise-A, explaining that “ Vice Admirals don’t fly .” After the negative impression left by Admiral Marcus, Commodore Paris is professional and warm , providing subtle yet valuable insight and advice, occupying an influential position of power and respect in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movies that accentuates her moral capability, experience, and charming merit.

Star Trek (2009), Star Trek Into Darkness, and Star Trek Beyond are available for streaming on Paramount+.

Star Trek (2009)

J.J. Abrams' 2009 movie Star Trek rebooted the iconic sci-fi franchise in a totally new timeline. When a Romulan ship travels back in time and alters the past, the lives of James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), and the future crew of the USS Enterprise are drastically changed. In this new timeline, the Romulan Nero (Eric Bana) sets out for revenge on Spock, setting off a chain of events that reshape the entire universe.

Star Trek Into Darkness

Star Trek Into Darkness is a 2013 movie directed by     J. J. Abrams and starring John Cho, Alice Eve, and Benedict Cumberbatch. Part of the Star Trek franchise, this sequel sees Captain Kirk relieved of his duties as commander of the USS Enterprise.

Star Trek Beyond

In the Kelvin timeline of Star Trek Films, Captain James Tiberius Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the U.S.S. Enterprise crew return to fight a new enemy who puts everything they and the Federation stand for to the ultimate test. This third installment of the rebooted Star Trek films marked the 50th anniversary of the classic sci-fi franchise.

IMAGES

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VIDEO

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COMMENTS

  1. Romulan

    The Romulans were a humanoid race from the planet Romulus. The Romulans were biological cousins of Vulcans, descended from those who rejected Surak's reforms during the Time of Awakening. By the 24th century, the Romulan Star Empire was one of the major powers in the galaxy. After a supernova destroyed the Romulan sun, the Romulan Free State became the official government. Eventually, the ...

  2. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

    "The greatest enterprise of all is adventure." When a renegade Vulcan captures the Federation, Klingon, and Romulan ambassadors on Nimbus III, the so-called "planet of galactic peace," it can only mean one thing: the vacation is over. Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the new Starship Enterprise-A are pressed back into service to come to the rescue. But, when the Vulcan has a prior ...

  3. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

    Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is a 1989 American science fiction film directed by William Shatner and based on the television series Star Trek created by Gene Roddenberry.It is the fifth installment in the Star Trek film series, and takes place shortly after the events of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986). Its plot follows the crew of the USS Enterprise-A as they confront renegade Vulcan ...

  4. Romulan history

    Romulan history describes the rise of the Romulan people from being a group of Vulcan emigrants to an interstellar empire. See: Vulcan-Romulan history A "Garden of Eden"-like place known as Vorta Vor was part of Romulan creation myths, similar to the Vulcan Sha Ka Ree. (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier) One possible scientific explanation for the origin of Vulcans, and thereby also of the ...

  5. Romulan

    Romulan. The Romulans ( / ˈrɒmjʊlənz, - jə -/) are an extraterrestrial race in the American science fiction franchise Star Trek. They first appeared in the series Star Trek (1966-1969). They have appeared in most subsequent Star Trek releases, including The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise ...

  6. Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)

    Star Trek V: The Final Frontier: Directed by William Shatner. With William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan. Captain Kirk and his crew must deal with Mr. Spock's long-lost half-brother who hijacks the Enterprise for an obsessive search for God at the center of the galaxy.

  7. What Is the History of the Romulans in Star Trek?

    Before Star Trek returned for its second wave of stories, the creation of the Romulans was a point of contention.In a featurette on The Original Series Blu-ray, writer and franchise legend Dorothy Fontana said freelance writer Paul Schneider invented them by taking inspiration from the ancient Roman Empire. Schneider confirmed this in Captain's Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyagers by ...

  8. Creating the Romulans

    Romulan characters in Star Trek V and VI - made at the same time as The Next Generation - still went without forehead ridges. Almost villains Leonard Nimoy and Harve Bennett discuss Star Trek III (Trekcore) Romulans were almost the villains in two Star Trek movies.

  9. The History Of The Romulans, And Their Place In The Star Trek ...

    The Empire has collapsed into warring factions, one of which is the Romulan Free State. According to "Star Trek: Discovery," Vulcan/Romulan reunification will have become a reality by the 31st ...

  10. Vulcans and Romulans: A Primer on Unification

    I'm going to explore that in this primer on unification between the Romulans and Vulcans. The Romulans and Vulcans descend from the same ancestor species — specifically, the Romulans are an offshoot of ancient Vulcans. From the Star Trek history we know, it's unclear when the split between the two occurred, but it was likely during Vulcan ...

  11. star trek

    This means nothing in the Star Trek universe, as pretty much anything can breed with anything. Romulans have several differences from Vulcans. They are subtle, but enough to prevent Crusher from treating Patahk successfully with a technique that works on Vulcans. ... Saavik was described to be half vulcan, half romulan, confirming that inter ...

  12. The Empire's Most Influential Romulans, Ranked

    The Narada's accidental trip through the black hole ended up sending Nero and his crew back in time to the year 2233. Coupled with his order to destroy the U.S.S. Kelvin, Nero's presence in the past created the alternate reality known as the Kelvin Timeline.The former miner's rage over Spock's failure to save Romulus in the Prime Universe manifested in a plan to destroy Vulcan and the ...

  13. Spock's TNG Romulan Mission Is Explained In TOS & Star Trek VI

    In the Star Trek: TOS season 1 episode, "Balance of Terror," Spock was as shocked as anyone on the Starship Enterprise to see that Romulans were practically identical to Vulcans.Spock even experienced a racist attitude from one of his crew mates whose family died fighting in the Romulan War. Although he didn't vocalize it at the time, Spock must have been curious to know more about the Romulans.

  14. Catching Up with 'Star Trek: Trek V''s Caithlin Dar, Cynthia Gouw

    Cynthia Gouw is a host, spokesperson, model, three-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, wife, mother and former actress. Star Trek fans, however, most assuredly know her best for playing Caithlin Dar, the Romulan diplomat who, along with St. John Talbot and General Korrd, came under Sybok's spell in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier.Last year, Gouw was one of our many special guests at Star ...

  15. Star Trek: The Earth

    By Dalton Norman. Published Apr 1, 2023. The Earth-Romulan War was one of the earliest conflicts in Star Trek history, and it shaped relations between the two worlds for centuries to come. The Earth-Romulan War was one of the earliest major conflicts in the Star Trek timeline, but it had an impact that lasted for centuries in the story.

  16. Balance of Terror

    "Balance of Terror" is the fourteenth episode of the first season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek. Written by Paul Schneider and directed by Vincent McEveety, it first aired on December 15, 1966.. In the episode, the USS Enterprise battles a Romulan ship after investigating an unidentified assailant who methodically destroys the Federation's outposts at the Neutral ...

  17. Picard Explains Why Romulans Look Different in TOS and TNG

    While the Romulans have been a consistent presence for most of Star Trek's history, they were perhaps never more narratively important than in Picard season 1. In the wake of a devastating attack on Federation shipyards located on Mars, Starfleet pulled out of their planned efforts to rescue the inhabitants of the Romulan homeworld from an approaching supernova.

  18. Tracing The History of STAR TREK's Romulan Empire

    Jan 23 2020 • 12:28 PM. Although the casual fan might think of Klingons as the biggest bad in the Star Trek galaxy, long before they reared their bumpy heads the main adversary of the Federation ...

  19. Star Trek Teases the Return of a Shocking Villain

    Star Trek: The Romulan Supernova From JJ Abrams' 2009 Reboot Is Coming For the Galaxy (& Nothing Can Stop It) - Theory Explained The Romulan supernova was one of the most important events in Star ...

  20. The Romulans: Federation Foes and Sometimes Their Darkest ...

    Over Star Trek's many decades, the development of rival civilizations that spar with the Federation have been a key aspect of the franchise's ever-increasing complexity. Amongst them, the Romulans have often been at the center of some of the show's most fascinating stories. Since their introduction in The Original Series, the Romulans have been frequently positioned as an expansionist, power ...

  21. Star Trek TNG: The Controversial Romulan Makeover and Behind-the ...

    Despite these disagreements, the Romulan appearance underwent another transformation in the 2009 "Star Trek" film by J.J. Abrams, characterized by black coats and a more extreme aesthetic with ...

  22. This 'Star Trek Discovery' Character Is a Deep-Cut 'DS9 ...

    Callum Keith Rennie's Captain Rayner is not Vulcan or Romulan after all. Veteran actor Callum Keith Rennie will join the cast of the final season of Star Trek: Discovery as the alien Captain ...

  23. The Defector (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

    Star Trek: The Next Generation. ) " The Defector " is the tenth episode of the third season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation, and the 58th episode of the series overall. Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet crew of the Federation starship Enterprise-D.

  24. Caithlin Dar

    Caithlin Dar was the Romulan representative to Nimbus III, the so-called "Planet of Galactic Peace," in 2287. When she initially arrived on Nimbus III, she greeted her counterparts, the Klingon, General Korrd, and the Terran, St. John Talbot, with optimism and a cheery disposition, although her positive attitude was not returned. When the three diplomats were captured by the renegade Vulcan ...

  25. All 4 Star Trek Characters Played By James Sloyan

    In Star Trek: The Next Generation's "The Defector," James Sloyan plays Admiral Alidar Jarok, a high-ranking Romulan officer who seeks asylum aboard the USS Enterprise-D after defecting from Romulus. Jarok once led several campaigns against Federation outposts, but now believes another Earth-Romulan war would destroy the Empire. After Jarok learned that Romulus was planning an invasion of the ...

  26. Star Trek: The Next Generation's Romulan Redesign Started A ...

    The Romulans' next aesthetic update came in the 2009 "Star Trek" film directed by J.J. Abrams. The Romulan villains ( led by Eric Bana's Nero ) wear black trenchcoats over their shaved heads and ...

  27. The Story Behind Star Trek V: The Final Frontier's Musical Moment

    There's a bizarre moment midway through Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, the William Shatner-helmed feature film enjoyed as much ironically as sincerely by Trekkies since its release in 1989.During a mission to rescue a trio of diplomats from the zealot Sybok, Captain James T. Kirk and company need a way to divert a group of armed revolutionaries so that our heroes can steal their horses and ...

  28. Earth-Romulan War

    A pair of 22nd century Romulan Birds-of-Prey. In 2156, Earth forces and the Romulan Empire entered a state of war.It ultimately continued until 2160.(ENT: "In a Mirror, Darkly, Part II"; TOS: "Balance of Terror") In 2266, Spock categorized the weaponry generally used in the Earth-Romulan War as atomic in nature, and fairly primitive at that. He also characterized the ships in use as primitive ...

  29. 10 Star Trek Characters J.J. Abrams Introduced To Canon

    The Romulan captain and second-in-command crew member of the 24th-century mining ship Narada were directly responsible for the formation of the alternate Kelvin timeline in Star Trek (2009). When a supernova of the system's sun destroyed Romulus in 2387, Nero (Eric Bana) blamed the Prime-universe Ambassador Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and the ...