star trek main characters original

‘Star Trek’: All 39 Classic TV Main Characters Ranked, From Spock to Wesley (Photos)

A look back at the TV franchise’s many memorable classic characters before the explosion of streaming shows like “Discovery”…and its handful of duds

In its half-century history, “Star Trek” has challenged us to boldly go where no one has gone before. The best characters have often encouraged vigorous debate among Trekkies, as they are compared by their rank and species and evaluated for differences in their flaws and virtues. The worst — we’re looking at you, “Voyager” and “Enterprise” — leave fans wondering if there’s a point to their existence. 

A quick note, to keep the list manageable, we’re restricting the list to the main cast of the five “Trek” TV shows before the recent explosion of streaming series like “Discovery” and “Lower Decks.” That means you won’t be seeing movie villains like Khan or recurring characters like Q. But let it be said that if we did include him, Q would top the list by several light years.

39. Wesley Crusher (The Next Generation) By far the most hated character in “Trek” history. A super-genius kid who would on more than one occasion save the Enterprise while others with infinitely more experience struggled. Even the man who played him, Wil Wheaton , hated him.

38. Travis Mayweather (Enterprise) No backstory, no fears, no desires. No “Trek” crew member was more pointless and two-dimensional than Mayweather, except perhaps for …

37. Hoshi Sato (Enterprise)   … a poor man’s Uhura whose sole purpose was to serve as a translator for the crew since the technology for the Universal Translator hadn’t been invented yet. Like many of the characters at the bottom of this list, Rick Berman and Brannon Braga were unable to flesh Sato out beyond her basic premise.

36. Neelix (Voyager) And now for the “Voyager” portion of our list, starting with the ship’s mohawked chef. He never fit into the show’s plots, leaving him to spout dumb food jokes and platitudes of optimism to the weary crew.

35. B’Elanna Torres (Voyager) Next we have the Human/Klingon hybrid lieutenant, whose entire personality too often boiled down to her being a hothead. In truth, she seemed to be designed as a mix of Worf and Tasha, but failed to even come close to being as memorable as either of them.

34. Chakotay (Voyager) Another character that the writers ran out of material for. At best, Captain Janeway’s right hand man was a dull character. At worst, the attempts to honor Gene Roddenberry ‘s dedication to diversity by delving into Chakotay’s Native American background came off as too stereotypical.

33. Tom Paris (Voyager) A slightly better character who had more defined relationships with other crew members, but many of the episodes that focused on him were just variations on him being the stereotypical hotshot pilot looking for a thrill.

32. Harry Kim (Voyager) His friendship with Paris and awkward conversations with Seven-of-Nine were enjoyable to watch, but other than that he tended to be just a stiff ensign who spouted technobabble.

31. Malcolm Reed (Enterprise) The inventor of the “red alert” system. Unlike Sato and Mayweather, Reed had a bit of a character arc as he spent his time on the Enterprise coming out of his shell, but this didn’t result in Reed becoming much more than a generally affable but nondescript character.

30. Deanna Troi (TNG) Take a shot every time this Betazoid started a sentence with the words “I sense …” Troi spent several seasons in low-neckline outfits, serving as a counselor on a ship that rarely had any real conflict. Eventually, she was given a uniform like the others and allowed to play a role in missions, but only at a very late point in the series.

29. Jonathan Archer (Enterprise) When “Enterprise” started, Archer was an interesting captain. As Starfleet’s first man in charge, he was bound to make mistakes, and viewers enjoying seeing how he got out of them. Unfortunately, the struggle got stale quick, as he became the “prototype” captain instead of developing into a leader in his own right.

28. T’Pol (Enterprise) Though Jolene Blalock’s acting could sometimes be as ridiculous as her fanservice outfits, the first Vulcan Starfleet officer’s slow embrace of her illogical humans was interesting to watch, as was her struggle to cope with a disease that dissolved control over her emotions. 

27. Phlox (Enterprise) Armed with a massive grin and years of medical experience, NX-01’s Denobulan doctor is what Neelix could have been, providing both regular humor and the basis for episodes that explored his values and relationship with a human race still getting used to interacting with aliens. 

26. Jadzia Dax (Deep Space Nine) An interesting blend of previous personalities. Over the course of six seasons, Dax showed Worf’s intensity, Kirk’s swagger, and Spock’s curiosity. Part of this is due to the fact that she’s bonded with a symbiont that has the memories of countless past lives. It’s also due to inconsistent writing, particularly after she hooked up with Worf in Season 4.

25. Quark (DS9) The Ferengi started as the Alpha Quadrant’s amoral mafia, but DS9 began to show their capacity for courage and compassion, though they would be loath to admit it. In spite of his insistence that he’s nothing but a cowardly smuggler — and he can be that — Quark proves to be a valuable ally to Sisko when the chips are down.

24. Tasha Yar (TNG) Oh, where to start with Tasha. She was a rather polarizing figure, with some people appreciating her status as a more involved woman on the bridge, while others thought she was rather obnoxious. She was killed off near the end of season 1, but was brought back in the episode “Yesterday’s Enterprise,” which was praised for showing Tasha’s true potential as a character while giving her a better send-off.

23. Tuvok (Voyager) This is where the characters really get good, starting with the Voyager’s resident Vulcan. Tim Russ proved to be a worthy successor to Leonard Nimoy , portraying Tuvok as a loyal friend to Janeway and a Vulcan with a dark side beneath all the discipline and repressed emotions.

22. Doctor (Voyager) Easily the most popular character in the “Voyager” cast, this sarcastic, overworked medical hologram won fans over with his exasperated jokes and quest for respect from the rest of the Voyager crew. His non-organic status also allowed him to bond with Seven-of-Nine

21. Pavel Chekov (Star Trek) Several members of the original Enterprise crew were not fleshed out on paper, but became beloved thanks to brilliant acting and natural chemistry between the cast. Take Chekov, who became a fan favorite because of his loyalty to Mother Russia as well as the blood samples he was constantly asked to provide.

20. Nyota Uhura (Trek) Though she was vastly underutilized, Uhura’s presence on the Enterprise was a big step forward for African-American women in television. After being skipped on the chain of command for years, Uhura finally got to take charge of the Enterprise during a rescue mission in the animated series.

19. Hikaru Sulu (Trek) Like Chekhov’s Walt Koenig and Uhura’s Nichelle Nichols, the two-dimensional Sulu became legendary thanks to George Takei . For a long time, Sulu was known for being a cultured gentleman and a bare-chested fencer , but he got his big moment in the movie “Star Trek VI” as captain of the Excelsior.

18. Seven of Nine (Voyager)   Like Uhura, Troi, and T’Pol, Seven of Nine was the fanservice character of her series, but her introduction to “Voyager” is an episode for the ages. As a former Borg unit brought to Janeway’s side, Seven continued the tradition of rounding out alien races that were once bitter Federation enemies by showing just why someone would want to be assimilated.

17. Miles O’Brien (TNG/DS9) Midway through “TNG,” the writers realized there was value in fleshing out the Chekovs in their cast. Miles started as a seen-but-rarely-heard recurring character who eventually became a star on “DS9” thanks to episodes that transformed him into Starfleet’s quintessential everyman.

16.  Charles “Trip” Tucker III (Enterprise) Perhaps Trip’s ranked too high, but let’s throw “Enterprise” a bone. He was the most interesting character on the show, serving as a right hand man to Archer, a lover to T’Pol, a fighter, a scholar, and ultimately, a martyr to the Federation.

15. Julian Bashir (DS9) One of the more strongly-defined character arcs in the “Trek” canon. Bashir started the series as a cocky but inexperienced crew member who eventually developed into a mature member of the crew as the Dominion War raged on.

14. Beverly Crusher (TNG) Unlike her son, Dr. Crusher was a popular “TNG” cast member. Not only was she a compassionate medic, she was a capable fighter and leader who even got to take command of the bridge on a couple of occasions.

13. Kathryn Janeway (Voyager) The Voyager’s captain has become the basis for much debate among Trekkies. In addition to her character swinging from mother figure to ruthless general depending on the writer, Janeway threw away the Federation rulebook in ways that even Kirk would be shocked by as she tried to guide the Voyager back home. Say what you will, but Janeway is an interesting figure in the “Trek” canon, which is why she’s ranked so high. 

12. Montgomery “Scotty” Scott (Trek) The miracle worker of the Enterprise treated his ship like a beloved daughter. Whether it was attacked by Romulans or Tribbles, Scotty would always make sure that his beloved ship would make it out in one piece. Unfortunately, as the new movie “Star Trek Beyond” shows, Scotty’s counterpart in the reboot universe can’t say the same about his Enterprise.

11. Geordi La Forge (TNG) The Enterprise-D’s sweet engineer would often insist that some engineering marvel that would save the day is impossible, only to do it in minutes when pressed. His finest moments as a character came when he helped Data learn how to be more human, often to mixed results.

10. Kira Nerys (DS9) While “Trek” tackled many philosophical topics, religion was not one of them for a long time. Kira changed that, along with many other things. A firm believer in the Prophets and in terror tactics, Kira’s tough past on Bajor caused her to lock horns with the lofty ideals of the Federation members she had to work with on DS9.

9. Worf (TNG/DS9) The Klingon lieutenant started the trend of turning enemies from past series into complex characters who became vital Starfleet crew members despite cultural differences. Worf has had more appearances and story arcs than almost any other “Trek” character, including rising through Starfleet’s ranks, joining the DS9 crew, becoming a father, and preventing a civil war on his homeworld.

8. Odo (DS9) One of the most powerful twists for any “Trek” character came in “DS9,” when Odo discovered that he was a member of the race that leads the Dominion. Sisko’s number one was forced to choose a side: his race or the people they wished to exterminate. In the end, there’s only one reason he stays with the Federation: his deep love for Kira.

7. Benjamin Sisko (DS9) Commander of Deep Space Nine, Captain of the Defiant, and one of the most conflicted characters in “Trek” history. Sisko proved to be a truly fearsome captain, but gained that reputation through brutal actions that compromised his ideals. His internal conflict was a driving component behind DS9’s deconstruction of Gene Roddenberry ‘s utopia through war and racial conflict.

6. Leonard “Bones” McCoy (Trek) While he wasn’t as fleshed out as Kirk or Spock, Bones didn’t need to be. DeForest Kelley’s sardonic delivery worked perfectly with both the Captain and the Vulcan, as he served as the voice of reason to keep them both level.

5. William Riker (TNG) Number One started out as a rehash of Kirk, right down to the cocky smirk. Then came the beard, and with it a fierce sense of duty and undying loyalty to Picard. Both were put to the ultimate test in “Best of Both Worlds,” when he uttered the words that became one of the most famous cliffhangers in TV history: “Mr. Worf … FIRE.”

4. Data (TNG) The funniest and most thought-provoking supporting crew member ever. Data’s overly analytical approach to human minutae made him a charming android, and his status as a sentient A.I. gave birth to “Measure of a Man,” one of the franchise’s most important contributions to sci-fi.

3. James T. Kirk (Trek) The original captain, whose appeal hasn’t waned in the slightest over the past five decades. Kirk is the perfect mix of geek and space cowboy, serving as a sort of John Wayne figure for the sci-fi crowd. 

2. Spock (Trek) “Trek” has built its legacy on alien outsiders making observations about the human race. That began with Spock, whose Vulcan blood put him outside of our species while his human blood kept him tethered to it. From his pointy ears came endless ruminations on the nature of humanity and whether we will overcome our differences and reach the stars together.

1. Jean-Luc Picard (“TNG”) Yep, we’re planting our flag firmly in the Frenchman’s territory when it comes to the “Best Captain” debate. If Spock began the “Trek” philosophizing, Picard perfected it. He is a diplomat and a scholar, and remains so despite suffering torture and countless near-death situations. He is the embodiment of the intellect-over-brutality ideal that “Star Trek” built its legacy on.

Regular cast

• View history

This page is a list of regular cast for the Star Trek series and films .

• 1 Star Trek: The Original Series
• 2 Star Trek: The Animated Series
• 3 The Original Series films
• 4 Star Trek: The Next Generation
• 5 The Next Generation films
• 6 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
• 7 Star Trek: Voyager
• 8 Star Trek: Enterprise
• 9 The alternate reality films
• 10 Star Trek: Discovery
• 11 Star Trek: Picard
• 12 Star Trek: Lower Decks
• 13 Star Trek: Prodigy
• 14 Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
• 15 See also
• 16 External links

Star Trek: The Original Series [ ]

The Original Series cast

• William Shatner as James T. Kirk
• Leonard Nimoy as Spock
• DeForest Kelley as Leonard McCoy
• James Doohan as Montgomery Scott
• George Takei as Hikaru Sulu
• Walter Koenig as Pavel Chekov (seasons 2-3)
• Nichelle Nichols as Nyota Uhura
• Majel Barrett as Christine Chapel
• Grace Lee Whitney as Janice Rand (season 1)

Star Trek: The Animated Series [ ]

The Animated Series cast

• James Doohan as Montgomery Scott and Arex
• Nichelle Nichols as Uhura
• Majel Barrett as Christine Chapel and M'Ress

The Original Series films [ ]

The TOS film cast

• Walter Koenig as Pavel Chekov

Star Trek: The Next Generation [ ]

The Next Generation cast (seasons 5-7)

• Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard
• Jonathan Frakes as William T. Riker
• Brent Spiner as Data
• LeVar Burton as Geordi La Forge
• Michael Dorn as Worf
• Gates McFadden as Beverly Crusher (seasons 1, 3-7)
• Marina Sirtis as Deanna Troi
• Denise Crosby as Natasha Yar (season 1)
• Wil Wheaton as Wesley Crusher (seasons 1-4)

The Next Generation films [ ]

The TNG film cast

• Gates McFadden as Beverly Crusher

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine [ ]

Deep Space Nine cast (seasons 4-6)

• Avery Brooks as Benjamin Sisko
• Nana Visitor as Kira Nerys
• Rene Auberjonois as Odo
• Michael Dorn as Worf (seasons 4-7)
• Terry Farrell as Jadzia Dax (seasons 1-6)
• Alexander Siddig as Julian Bashir
• Colm Meaney as Miles O'Brien
• Nicole de Boer as Ezri Dax (season 7)
• Armin Shimerman as Quark
• Cirroc Lofton as Jake Sisko

Star Trek: Voyager [ ]

Voyager cast (seasons 4-7)

• Kate Mulgrew as Kathryn Janeway
• Robert Beltran as Chakotay
• Tim Russ as Tuvok
• Robert Duncan McNeill as Tom Paris
• Roxann Dawson as B'Elanna Torres
• Garrett Wang as Harry Kim
• Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine (seasons 4-7)
• Robert Picardo as The Doctor
• Ethan Phillips as Neelix
• Jennifer Lien as Kes (seasons 1-3)

Star Trek: Enterprise [ ]

Enterprise cast

• Scott Bakula as Jonathan Archer
• Jolene Blalock as T'Pol
• Connor Trinneer as Charles Tucker III
• Dominic Keating as Malcolm Reed
• Anthony Montgomery as Travis Mayweather
• Linda Park as Hoshi Sato
• John Billingsley as Phlox

The alternate reality films [ ]

The alternate reality film cast with director/producer J.J. Abrams

• John Cho as Hikaru Sulu
• Simon Pegg as Montgomery Scott
• Chris Pine as James T. Kirk
• Zachary Quinto as Spock
• Zoë Saldana as Nyota Uhura
• Karl Urban as Leonard McCoy
• Anton Yelchin as Pavel Chekov

Star Trek: Discovery [ ]

Discovery cast for season 1 with Michelle Yeoh

• Sonequa Martin-Green as Michael Burnham
• Doug Jones as Saru
• Shazad Latif as Ash Tyler (seasons 1-2)
• Anthony Rapp as Paul Stamets
• Mary Wiseman as Sylvia Tilly
• Wilson Cruz as Hugh Culber (seasons 2-4, guest in season 1)
• Rachael Ancheril as D. Nhan (season 3, guest in seasons 2, 4)
• Tig Notaro as Jett Reno (season 4, guest in seasons 2-3)
• Jason Isaacs as Gabriel Lorca (season 1)
• Anson Mount as Christopher Pike (season 2)
• David Ajala as Cleveland "Book" Booker (seasons 3-4)
• Blu del Barrio as Adira Tal (season 4, guest in season 3)

Star Trek: Picard [ ]

Picard cast for season 1 with Jeri Ryan

• Alison Pill as Agnes Jurati (season 1-2)
• Isa Briones as Soji Asha / Kore Soong (season 1-2)
• Evan Evagora as Elnor (season 1-2)
• Michelle Hurd as Raffi Musiker
• Santiago Cabrera as Cristóbal Rios (season 1-2)
• Harry Treadaway as Narek (season 1)
• Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine (seasons 2-3, guest in season 1)
• Orla Brady as Laris / Tallinn (season 2, guest in seasons 1 and 3)
• Brent Spiner as Adam Soong (season 2, guest in seasons 1 and 3 in other roles)
• Ed Speleers as Jack Crusher (season 3)

Star Trek: Lower Decks [ ]

• Tawny Newsome as Beckett Mariner
• Jack Quaid as Brad Boimler
• Noël Wells as D'Vana Tendi
• Eugene Cordero as Sam Rutherford
• Dawnn Lewis as Carol Freeman
• Jerry O'Connell as Jack Ransom
• Fred Tatasciore as Shaxs
• Gillian Vigman as T'Ana

Star Trek: Prodigy [ ]

Prodigy cast

• Brett Gray as Dal
• Ella Purnell as Gwyn
• Jason Mantzoukas as Jankom Pog
• Angus Imrie as Zero
• Rylee Alazraqui as Rok-Tahk
• Dee Bradley Baker as Murf
• Jimmi Simpson as Drednok
• John Noble as The Diviner
• Kate Mulgrew as " Captain Janeway "

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds [ ]

Strange New Worlds cast

• Anson Mount as Christopher Pike
• Ethan Peck as Spock
• Jess Bush as Christine Chapel
• Christina Chong as La'an Noonien-Singh
• Celia Rose Gooding as Nyota Uhura
• Melissa Navia as Erica Ortegas
• Babs Olusanmokun as Joseph M'Benga
• Bruce Horak as Hemmer (season 1, guest in season 2)
• Rebecca Romijn as Una Chin-Riley

See also [ ]

• Star Trek birthdays
• Character crossover appearances
• Cast members who directed
• Regular cast characters by rank

External links [ ]

• Official actor's websites
• Official fan clubs
• 3 Star Trek: Discovery

• More to Explore
• Series & Movies

Firsts and Lasts: The Cast of The Original Series

Check out the first and the last appearances of the original crew of the Enterprise.

From "The Man Trap" and "Where No Man Has Gone Before" to Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country , take a look back at the first and last appearances of Captain Kirk and his crew.

• Original Series Trivia
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• Secrets from the Wardrobe Dept.
• The Best Series and Movies, Ranked
• Fun Facts About the New Film Series
• Store-Bought Items Used as Props
• The Greatest Star Trek Insults
• Celebrating Spock and Bones McCoy
• Exasperated Picard
• Times Scotty Saved the Day
• 'Make It So' - Picard
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All Star Trek: The Original Series Characters

Full Star Trek: The Original Series characters list with photos and character bios when available. List contains all Star Trek: The Original Series main character names and features lead Star Trek: The Original Series roles. If you're looking for the most famous Star Trek: The Original Series characters then you're in the right place. This Star Trek: The Original Series main character list includes pictures of Star Trek: The Original Series characters and features useful character information like the names of actors or actresses who play the characters. Star Trek: The Original Series character roles from every season are included, along with the characters' gender, occupation and more.

List is made up of many different items, including Nyota Uhura and Christine Chapel.

This list answers the questions "what are the Star Trek: The Original Series characters called?" and "who are all the characters in Star Trek: The Original Series?"

You can click each image for a larger picture of the character, and in some cases you can click the character's name for a more detailed description. View the list of Star Trek: The Original Series character names as an info list or customize your view by switching to slideshow or blog mode. Share the list of the highly notable Star Trek: The Original Series characters by clicking the Facebook or Twitter icons. This list of most well-known Star Trek: The Original Series characters can also be sorted alphabetically if you click the header at the top of the column labeled "Name."

If you're looking for more minor Star Trek: The Original Series characters, then they should also be on this list, but if not feel free to add them below.

• Star Trek: The Original Series (NBC)
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Live long, and prosper.

The Best Original Star Trek Characters, Ranked

The characters of Star Trek: The Original Series are some of the most recognizable in pop culture, and here are the best of the best.

In 1966, Star Trek aired its first episode on NBC. Created by Gene Roddenberry and set in the year 2266, Star Trek followed the crew of Starship Enterprise, who were on a five-year mission to explore strange new worlds, seek out new civilizations, and go where nobody had gone before. While the series only lasted three seasons with 79 episodes airing, Star Trek endured as a piece of pop culture and generated a massive, passionate fanbase in syndication that kept the show going in the public consciousness long after it aired. The show's popularity eventually led to a series of high-profile films that reunited the cast of the original series, which started in 1979 with Star Trek: The Motion Picture and ran for six films until the release of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country in 1991.

One of the major appeals of Star Trek was its characters. While it was a science fiction series and promised audiences wild adventures, the budget and technological limitations made the Star Trek rely heavily on its characters to carry the series. From an adventurous captain, a half-alien science officer, and a crew who represented the diverse culture and ethnicity Earth had to offer, Star Trek: The Original Series had something for everyone; the characters became pop culture icons, with the actors reprising their roles in feature films even when movie stars were getting younger. The characters were so popular that telling the team's origin story and recasting them was a major selling point of restarting the franchise in 2009's Star Trek . These are the best characters from Star Trek: The Original Series .

9 Christine Chapel

Christine Chapel was the ship's nurse and was an important part of the crew for the series' three seasons often used to contrast Spock's Vulcan nature. Played by Majel Barrett (who was originally cast as the role of Number One in the first Star Trek pilot), she went on to marry Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and was the voice of the Enterprise computer. Sadly the character was reduced to small minimal roles in Star Trek: The Motion Picture and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home , and was completely absent from the Kelvin reboot films (with only two off-screen mentions); however, the character is set to return to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, and will be played by Jess Bush.

8 Pavel Chekov

Introduced in season two as a way to appeal to a younger audience, Pavel Chekov is a Russian-born navigator of the ship and is 17. The series cast Walter Koening in the role and gave him a hairstyle reminiscent of The Beatles and The Monkees to show his youthful charm. Including a Russian character on television in the 1960s, during the height of the Cold War, was a big move and one that speaks to the overriding optimism of the Star Trek franchise that the future can and should be better than the present.

7 Hikaru Sulu

The ship's helmsman, Gene Roddenberry created Hikaru Sulu to represent all of Asia in an attempt to show the peace of the future that Star Trek takes place. Sulu was played by the larger-than-life actor George Takei , whose signature voice gives the character's dialogue a great deal of weight and helps sell the reality of the series. One of Sulu's most defining features is his large list of hobbies, establishing a well-rounded character with a life outside his job. Sulu has an interest in botany, gymnastics, and fencing.

Related: Star Trek 4: Will the New Kelvin Film Challenge the Imagination?

After the series, Sulu rises through the ranks over the course of the films as he is promoted to lieutenant commander in Star Trek: The Motion Picture and eventually Captain of the USS Excelsior in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country .

6 Montgomery "Scotty" Scott

Montgomery Scott aka Scotty is the ship's engineer, third in command, and has a close connection to the Enterprise, often taking care of it the way a parent would a child. Played by actor James Doohan , Scotty is often a source of comedic relief across the original series and films. Scotty often provides a sense of warmth and charm to the stories' events, and throughout the original series and original six films, he stays as the lead engineer for the ship, showing somebody who is truly doing what he loves.

5 Khan Noonien Singh

Though only appearing in one episode of the original series, Khan Noonien Singh (played by Richardo Montalbán), there is a reason this one-off character was brought back to be the main villain in a Star Trek film. A genetically-powered superhuman who controlled more than a quarter of planet Earth in the 1990s, Khan and his crew were frozen in suspended animation, only to be awakened by the crew of the Enterprise in the future.

After attempting to take control of the Enterprise from Kirk, Khan and his crew are marooned on Ceti Alpha V to start a new colony of their own. The character makes a return in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, looking for revenge against Kirk, and ends up sticking a critical blow to the crew by indirectly causing the death of Spock. Khan is the most dangerous foe the Enterprise Crew ever faced, and even after just one episode it was clear the character had more stories to tell, with Benedict Cumberbatch playing him prominently in the reboot films, and the character having a connection to Strange New World s .

4 Leonard "Bones" McCoy

The ship's leading medical officer, Bones is one of Kirk's best friends and often someone Kirk can talk to and seek advice from. His status as a doctor means Bones typically advocates for courses of action that could reduce harm. Played by DeForest Kelly, Bones created part of the series' central triangle of character dynamics between the central leads. Bones is defined by his emotions, sardonic wit, and his compassion, which often comes into conflict with Spock's cold logic. Bones and Spock may differ in approach, but the two have a strong mutual respect for one another, and it is because of Bones that Spock is able to return to life in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock .

Related: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds: Plot, Cast, and Everything Else We Know

Bones also may have the two most popular lines in Star Trek . "He's dead Jim" and "I'm a doctor, not..." are not just popular in terms of Star Trek, but in the wider popular culture lexicon as well. Bones is a character who heals but provides a great source of comedy and levity in some of the series' more intense moments.

3 Nhoyot Uhura

Uhura is the ship's translator and communications officer, and the character, played by Nichelle Nichols , was a major leap in terms of representation on television. Uhura was one of the first major starring roles for a Black woman on television, and the kiss between her and Kirk in the 1968 episode "Plato's Stepchildren" was one of the first major depictions of an interracial kiss on television. Uhura's importance extends outside the series but into the larger world, as seeing a Black woman in a major role on a television series being treated as an equal to her peers was the promise of the utopian future Star Trek promised its audience.

It was a major source of inspiration for stars like Whoopie Goldberg (who went on to play Guinan in Star Trek: The Next Generation ) and Dr. Mae Jemison, the first Black woman to fly aboard the Space Shuttle, and even President Barack Obama. When Nichols considered quitting Star Trek , one important fan convinced her not to: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Uhura made a statement that television could be a place for everyone.

2 James T. Kirk

The captain of the USS Enterprise, James T. Kirk is one of the most popular characters in all science fiction. He is a man of action who will solve a problem with his fist, but also is an academic who can negotiate peace. Kirk is a ladies' man, but also someone with a rich soul who deeply cares for others. Surprisingly, the character was not originally in the original series pilot. Yet the character, and the acting of William Shatner in the role, is what helped launch Star Trek into the franchise audiences know and love today, as Kirk and Shatner are the perfect blend of melodrama and camp that gave Star Trek the energy it needed.

Kirk became the model archetype of a science fiction hero for young audiences, very much in the vein of pulp heroes like Doc Savage of Flash Gordon. Kirk's characterization is so well-defined in popular culture, he has been parodied and referenced outside of Star Trek extensively over half a century, and Shatner's status as Kirk eventually led to him at the age of 90 being flown to space in the Blue Origin sub-orbital space shuttle , making him the oldest person to fly in space. Every subsequent captain in Star Trek media is defined by how similar or different they are to Kirk. With Captain Kirk at the helm, audiences were fully on board for the adventures of the USS Enterprise.

Kirk may be the captain, but ask any random person and the first thing they think of when they think of Star Trek is Spock . The half-human, half-Vulcan science officer of the Enterprise, Spock is the ship's second in command and Kirk's best friend, and while the character is often known for using logic to solve issues, Spock is defined by his humanity and grows over the course of the franchise the more he embraces it.

Perfectly played by Leonard Nimoy, the character was originally rejected by the network for appearing to be satanic . Yet Spock has become the face of the franchise, as the character appeared in all six original films with the crew and was featured in an important episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation ; the return of Leonard Nimoy in the role in the reboot films after years away was considered a passing of the baton to the cast of the 2009 Star Trek . Spock's numerous memorable quotes from "logical," "live long and prosper," and "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one," have helped define the franchise. Spock is the best that Star Trek has to offer.

THEN AND NOW: How 19 characters from 'Star Trek: The Original Series' have evolved over 56 years

• "Star Trek" premiered on September 8, 1966.
• Almost 57 years later, "Trek" is still going strong and finding ways to reinvent old characters.
• Here's how 19 characters from " The Original Series " have evolved over almost six decades.

Captain James T. Kirk was originally played by William Shatner.

Shatner played the first (and arguably most iconic) captain of the Enterprise for for all three seasons of "The Original Series" ("TOS") which aired from 1966 to 1969, before getting canceled.

He returned to voice the character in " Star Trek: The Animated Series " from 1973 to 1974.

Kirk remains many people's favorite captain of the Enterprise and "Trek" captain in general, as he set the blueprint for the next 57 years (and counting) of storytelling. Every "Trek" captain is measured against Kirk and Shatner's portrayal of him.

Shatner was last seen in the 1994 film "Star Trek Generations."

Shatner and the rest of the original crew starred in six movies starring the cast of "TOS" from 1979 to 1991 ("Star Trek: The Motion Picture," "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock," "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home," "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier," and "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country").

However, to bridge the gap between " TOS " and "The Next Generation" ("TNG"), which aired from 1987 to 1994, Shatner reprised his role as Kirk in " Star Trek Generations ," the first movie starring the cast of " TNG ." In it, he teams up with the captain of the Enterprise 100 years in the future, Captain Jean-Luc Picard, to defeat a madman called Soran.

Spoilers for a 29-year-old movie, but Captain Kirk dies at the end of the film after helping to take down Soran, simply stating "It was fun. Oh my,"  before closing his eyes.

Additionally, archival footage and audio of Shatner has been used in "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" ("DS9") in 1996, "Star Trek: Enterprise" in 2005, and "Star Trek: Short Treks" in 2019.

In 2009, Chris Pine took over the role. He played Kirk for three films, and counting?

In 2009, director JJ Abrams rebooted " Star Trek " by creating an alternate timeline (called the Kelvin timeline by fans) and re-casting an entirely new crew of the Enterprise, led by a bolder, brasher, and younger version of Kirk played by Pine.

Pine's version of Kirk started as a bar-fighting 25-year-old living Iowa, and by the end of "Star Trek Beyond" in 2016, he was a decorated captain and was newly dedicated to his mission to explore strange new worlds, seek out new life and new civilizations, and boldly go where no one has gone before.

Surprise news of a fourth Kelvin movie was reported in 2021 by Deadline, directed by "WandaVision's" Matt Shakman.

But in 2022, Shakman left the project to direct Marvel's "Fantastic Four," leaving Paramount looking for a new director to handle "Star Trek 4," according to a statement from the studio reported by Deadline.

In the latest "Trek" series, "Strange New Worlds," the Kirk torch was passed to "Vampire Diaries" vet Paul Wesley.

In "Trek's" latest show, " Strange New Worlds ," which is a prequel to the '60s series, audiences got their first glimpse at yet another version of Kirk, this time played by "The Vampire Diaries" star Wesley , in 2022.

"Strange New Worlds" focuses on the captain of the Enterprise  before  Kirk, Captain Christopher Pike, who is fated to be brutally disfigured in the future. In an attempt to avoid his fate in the season one finale, Pike is transported to a different timeline where he survives, which is where he meets Kirk, now the captain of a ship called the Farragut. Eventually, Pike is returned to his normal timeline.

In season two, audiences met  another  alternate version of Kirk in the third episode, before finally getting to meet the future captain for real in the sixth episode, where he met his future first officer, Spock.

Kirk's best friend and first officer Spock was originally played by Leonard Nimoy.

Spock, an alien race in the "Trek" universe known as a Vulcan, was known for being extremely logical (to a sometimes frustrating extent), and was frequently bewildered by his human crew, even though he was actually half-human himself.

Spock, and his Vulcan hand greeting accompanied by the phrase "Live long and prosper," is one of the most enduring symbols of "Trek" as a whole.

Nimoy played Spock for all three seasons of the '60s series, and voiced him in "The Animated Series" as well.

His last appearance in the role was the 2013 film "Star Trek Into Darkness."

Nimoy appeared in all six movies as the unflappable Vulcan (though he does die at the end of " Star Trek II " and is subsequently resurrected in " Star Trek III "), and even directed the third and fourth movies.

After that, Nimoy reprised his role as Spock in a season five episode of "TNG" called "Unification" in 1991, which saw him 100 years after the events of "TOS" as a Vulcan ambassador. He also appeared in episodes of "DS9," "Discovery," and the animated series "Star Trek: Prodigy" through archival footage and audio throughout the '90s and 2000s.

Nimoy was the only cast member of the original "Trek" to appear in the Kelvin timeline movies — in it, his version of Spock was pulled into this universe by a vengeful Romulan (another alien) to see the destruction of his home planet. He appeared in the 2009 film and its 2013 sequel.

Nimoy died in February 2015 at the age of 83.

He co-starred in the 2009 reboot and its 2013 sequel with a younger version of his character played by Zachary Quinto.

As Nimoy played the  original  Spock, Quinto played the Kelvin timeline's Spock. This version of the character is earlier along in his journey towards understanding humanity, and clashes with Kirk, instead of acting like best friends as they are in the original show.

Quinto appeared in all three films as Spock, and even got to try his hand at the iconic "Khan" scream in "Into Darkness."

In "Star Trek: Discovery" and "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds," Ethan Peck now plays the logical Vulcan.

Peck first played an even younger  version of Spock in the Paramount+ series "Discovery" in 2019, where he interacted with never-before-known-about half-sister Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green). He then became a series regular on "Strange New Worlds" as Captain Pike's science officer and friend in 2022.

Spock is one of the few people aboard the Enterprise who knows about Pike's eventual fate, showing how close he was to his first commanding officer even before Kirk.

Kirk's other best friend and the Enterprise's chief medical officer Leonard "Bones" McCoy was originally played by DeForest Kelley.

Bones, as Kirk called him, represented the total opposite of Spock. Where Spock was ruled by reason and logic, McCoy was prone to passionate outbursts and was always concerned for Kirk and his friends.

And, famously, he was quick to remind everyone on board that he was just a doctor, not anything else.

Kelley, like his cast-mates, appeared in all three seasons of "TOS" and both seasons of "The Animated Series."

His last appearance in the role was the 1991 film "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country."

Kelley appeared in the six movies starring the cast of "TOS," ending with his appearance in "Star Trek VI" in 1991. This was also his last on-screen film role, as he died eight years later in 1999.

In 1987, Kelley was on hand to bless the cast of "TNG" by appearing in that show's pilot episode as Admiral McCoy, a much older version of the character (137 years old, to be exact). He speaks with Data about how the Enterprise will always bring you home.

Kelley died at age 79 in June 1999 , according to an obituary in The Washington Post.

Karl Urban played the good doctor in the reboot trilogy, beginning in 2009.

The 2009 film showed the meeting of Kirk and his future best friend on board a ship to Starfleet Academy — and explains how he got his nickname: He split from wife and his ex got everything in the divorce, leaving him with just his "bones."

Urban appeared in all three films of the Kelvin trilogy.

Nichelle Nichols played the Enterprise's communications officer, Nyota Uhura.

Nichols became a Black pop culture icon when she began playing Uhura, a communications officer, in the 1960s. She was one of the first Black women on TV to hold a high-ranking job, and was part of the first televised interracial kiss .

In fact, she was going to quit, but none other than Martin Luther King Jr. told Nichols she couldn't leave. "You have the first non-stereotypical, non-menial role on television. You have created strength and beauty and intelligence. For the first time, the world sees us as we should be seen. It's what we're marching for. You're a role model and whether you like it or not, you belong to history now," Nichols said he told her during an interview with the New York Post in 2011.

Nichols appeared in all three seasons of "TOS" and in " The Animated Series."

Her last appearance was also "The Undiscovered Country."

Along with her fellow cast-mates, Nichols appeared in all six "TOS" movies, wrapping up Uhura's experience in "Star Trek VI."

Nichols' face and voice also popped up in a 1996 episode of "DS9" and a 2022 episode of "Prodigy" via archival footage and audio.

Nichols died in July 2022. She was 89.

In the 2009 reboot, Zoe Saldaña played Uhura.

Saldaña played a version of Uhura straight out of the Academy, just like Kirk. She was a lot feistier than her '60s counterpart, and was one of the high points of the Kelvin trilogy.

Her character was also in a relationship with Spock, which was a marked departure from "TOS" and its movies.

In "Strange New Worlds," Celia Rose Gooding plays a younger version of Uhura who is still an ensign.

In "Strange New Worlds," fans learned that Uhura was actually on the Enterprise before Kirk, McCoy, Scotty, Chekov or Sulu, as a cadet under the leadership of Captain Pike.

Throughout the first season, we learned more about Uhura than we ever did in the '60s, including that she joined Starfleet after the death of her parents on Earth and was trying to escape how lonely she was on her home planet.

While she thought about leaving the Enterprise at the end of season one, in season two we learned she stuck around and was even promoted to ensign. Fans also learned that she was the one who inititally introduced Kirk and Spock.

Chief engineering officer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott was played by James Doohan.

Even if you've never seen "Trek," chances are you've heard the phrase "Beam me up, Scotty" (although it's never actually said on the show).

Doohan, who is actually American, played the Enterprise's trusty Scottish chief of engineering for all three seasons of "TOS" and the two seasons of "The Animated Series."

His last appearance was a small role in the 1994 film "Star Trek Generations."

Before " Generations ," Doohan played Scotty in the first six "Trek" films. He also appeared in a fan-favorite episode of "TNG" in 1992 called "Relics," which saw Scotty return to the Enterprise after 100 years of being stuck in the transporter (classic "Trek" science).

But his last on-screen appearance as Scotty was in the first couple scenes of 1994's "Generations" when he, Kirk, and Chekov are brought on board the Enterprise-B to help christen it. In classic Scotty fashion, he's able to help save the day, though he does witness the apparent death of his friend Kirk who was actually pulled into an alternate dimension called the Nexus. It's complicated.

Doohan is also seen in archival footage and heard in archival audio in episodes of "DS9" in 1996 and "Prodigy" in 2022.

Doohan died in July 2005 at age 85 , NPR reported.

A new generation of fans got to know Scotty through Simon Pegg's performance.

Pegg, who also co-wrote 2016's "Star Trek Beyond," first debuted in the 2009 film as a member of Starfleet banished to a remote, icy base with a new small alien friend named Keenser. He meets Kirk and the two bond as they make a break for the Enterprise. Pegg reprised his role in the two sequels.

And, in "Trek" tradition, he also wasn't actually Scottish.

We first saw Scotty's hand and and heard his voice in the season one finale of "Strange New Worlds."

As previously explained, the 2022 season one finale of "Strange New Worlds" saw Pike transported to an alternate future aboard the Enterprise. In one scene, we see Spock attempt to repair the damaged ship, and he's assisted by an unseen engineer with a very  familiar red shirt and Scottish accent.

However, in "Strange New Worlds'" primary timeline, the chief engineering officer was first an alien named Hemmer who (spoiler) dies in the penultimate episode of season one. He was then replaced by Pelia, another alien, in season two.

But still, fans who know that Scotty is coming to the Enterprise were excited to hear him, if just for a few moments.

In season two of "Strange New Worlds," a Scottish actor finally got to play Scotty: Martin Quinn. It only took 57 years.

Scotty was first teased in season one with a voice cameo, but fans got to meet him for real in the 2023 season two finale, "Hegemony." And now, he's finally played by someone who's actually from  Scotland, an actor named Martin Quinn, as Polygon reported .

While it may be a new actor, this Scotty has the same resourcefulness as both Doohan and Pegg's versions of the character.

Hopefully, we'll see more of him in season three.

Hikaru Sulu, as played by George Takei, appeared through the original series as the ship's helmsman.

Takei played Sulu, the senior helmsman of the Enterprise for all three seasons of "TOS" and voiced the character in "The Animated Series."

Sulu, as portrayed by Asian-American Takei, was a large step forward in terms of Asian representation — at the time, many Asian actors were forced to play untrustworthy people or straight-up villains. Or, indeed, many Asian parts were played by American actors in yellow face (see "Breakfast at Tiffany's").

Sulu, by contrast, was shown to always be an upstanding member of the crew.

Takei's last appearance as Sulu was in a 1996 episode of "Star Trek: Voyager" entitled "Flashback."

By the time of Sulu's last appearance in "Star Trek," he had become a captain of a starship himself, the Excelsior, as seen in both "Star Trek VI" in 1991 and his final on-screen appearance as Sulu in an episode of "Voyager" five years later called "Flashback."

"Flashback" is, fittingly, a flashback to the events of "Star Trek VI" as seen by a member of the crew, Tuvok, who was apparently serving on board the Excelsior at the time.

Takei's voice can also be heard during a 2019 episode of "Short Treks" via archival audio. He also reprised his role one more time during a season three episode of the animated series "Lower Decks" in 2022.

While not Takei himself, Sulu's daughter Demora has a small role in "Generations" as an ensign on the Enterprise-B, played by Jacqueline Kim.

John Cho played Sulu in the rebooted film series, and gave the character a new back story.

To honor Takei's real-life sexuality, Sulu was revealed to have a husband during the events of "Beyond" in 2016. His daughter, presumably Demora, is also seen in the film. Takei, however, didn't approve of making Sulu gay , he told The Hollywood Reporter in 2016.

Cho was also in 2009's "Star Trek" and 2013's "Into Darkness." He even got to nod to the character's love of fencing on "TOS" during a scene in the 2009 film.

Walter Koenig played Russian ensign Pavel Chekov. He joined in the second season of the original series.

Koenig didn't join the crew of the Enterprise until season two, when creator Gene Roddenberry decided that they needed a younger character who could appeal to teenage audiences. So, they slapped a Davy Jones wig on Koenig, and there was Chekov.

At the time, it was a huge deal to have a Russian hero on an American TV show during the Cold War, as History outlined.

Koenig appeared in the second and third seasons of "TOS," but due to budgetary restrictions, was not in "The Animated Series." Koenig did, however, write one episode of the show called "The Infinite Vulcan."

His last appearance as the character was in "Star Trek Generations" in 1994.

Koenig appeared in the first six "Trek" films with the cast of "TOS." Then, three years after "Star Trek VI" in 1991, Koenig, along with James Doohan and William Shatner, appeared in "Generations" to christen the Enterprise-B.

Besides that, Chekov is also seen in archival footage during an episode of "DS9," and was heard during the finale of "Star Trek: Picard" in 2023.

The late Anton Yelchin took over as Chekov from 2009 to 2016.

Yelchin was part of the main cast of the 2009 reboot and its two sequels. He died in June 2016 at the age of 27 in a freak accident.

The final Kelvin film (as of now), "Beyond," was released in July 2016, just a few weeks after his death. As Bustle reported, the film was subsequently dedicated to both Yelchin and Leonard Nimoy , who died in 2015.

If a fourth Kelvin film  does  come to fruition, the creative team confirmed to The Wrap that Chekov would not be recast.

Fans of the franchise who watched "Star Trek: Picard" know that, as a nod to Yelchin, it was revealed that Chekov's son, Anton Chekov, is the president of the Federation — and he was voiced by Koenig himself.

Christine Chapel, played by Majel Barrett, worked under Dr. McCoy as a nurse.

As we'll see later, Chapel wasn't the first character Barrett played in "Trek." In the original (un-aired) pilot, Barrett played Number One, the first officer to Captain Christopher Pike.

But, when the show was taken in a different direction, Barrett was re-cast as Nurse Chapel, a nurse with a little bit of a crush on Spock.

Chapel appeared in all three seasons of "TOS" and in both seasons of "The Animated Series."

In 1969, after "TOS" was canceled, Barrett wed "Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry.

Barrett returned for the films "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" (1979) and "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" (1986).

Chapel only appeared in two of the "TOS" films: in the first as part of the main crew in 1979 and in the fourth in a small, cameo-like appearance in 1986.

Although Chapel never appeared in any of the "Trek" spin-off shows, Barrett did. She had a recurring role on "TNG" as Lwaxana Troi, the mother of the Enterprise's counselor Deanna Troi. Lwaxana was in five episodes.

Barrett could also be  heard  on three of the spin-offs: Her voice was used as the ship's computer in "TNG," "DS9," and "Voyager" for hundreds of episodes altogether.  Her voice is also the computer in "Generations," "Star Trek: First Contact," "Star Trek: Insurrection," "Star Trek: Nemesis," and posthumously in the 2009 reboot film and "Star Trek: Picard."

Barrett died in December 2008. She was 76 , The New York Times reported.

Nurse Chapel is only mentioned in the reboot trilogy, but she has a main role in "Strange New Worlds," played by Jess Bush.

Chapel gets a passing mention in both "Star Trek" and "Into Darkness" as an ex of Kirk's, but is never seen. By the time Bush began playing a younger version of her in "Strange New Worlds" in 2022, Chapel had been missing from our screens for 36 years.

Bush's portrayal of the character is instantly iconic. She's super-smart, capable, sassy, and altogether a lot of fun. Fans are also learning more about the relationship between Spock and Chapel's relationship, which is only hinted at during "TOS."

Yeoman Janice Rand, played by Grace Lee Whitney, only appeared in the first season of the original series.

Whitney played Yeoman Rand in just the first season of "TOS." Decades later, Whitney claimed she was written off the show after she was sexually assaulted by a producer , which The Washington Post reported in Whitney's obituary.

Her character seemingly had a relationship with Kirk, but it was never truly discussed.

Whitney made her last appearance in the "Trek" universe in "Flashback," a 1996 episode of "Voyager."

Whitney, after a dedicated effort by the Trekkies, was brought back for the first, fourth, and sixth "Trek" films in 1979, 1986, and 1991 respectively, though in a small role. In the sixth movie, specifically, she was seen as part of Captain Sulu's crew on the Excelsior.

Her last appearance as Rand was in the 1996 "Voyager" episode "Flashback," which flashes back to the events of the sixth "Trek" movie, "The Undiscovered Country."

Rand has yet to appear in neither in the Kelvin timeline films nor any of the Paramount+ series.

Whitney died in May 2015 at the age of 85 , reported The Washington Post.

Bibi Besch made her debut as Carol Marcus, an old flame of Kirk's, in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" in 1982.

Besch only appeared in one "Trek" movie, but her role as Marcus was significant. In it, viewers found out that Kirk had had a significant relationship with her, and had even unknowingly fathered a son with her, David.

Ultimately, Besch never reprised her role as Marcus, although David went on to appear in "Star Trek III."

However, Marcus did get a passing mention in the season two finale of "Strange New Worlds" in 2023 as just Kirk's pregnant girlfriend Carol.

She died in September 1996 at the age of 54 , according to The New York Times.

Alice Eve played a version of the character in the 2011 film "Star Trek Into Darkness."

In "Into Darkness," Eve took on the role of Marcus, and we see Kirk and Marcus meet, although there's definitely  not  a romantic relationship happening at that time.

During the movie, it's revealed that Marcus' father is a Starfleet admiral (and war hawk) who is secretly preparing for a war with the Klingons.

Marcus didn't appear in "Beyond" because, according to screenwriter Simon Pegg, there simply wasn't enough for her to do , he said on an episode of "Engage: The Official 'Star Trek' Podcast" in 2016.

Booker Bradshaw played Dr. Joseph M'Benga, another doctor aboard the Enterprise, in two episodes of the original series.

Bradshaw played another doctor aboard the Enterprise for two episodes: the season two episode "A Private Little War" and the season three episode "That Which Survives."

That was it for Bradshaw, and we never got to learn more about the character.

Bradshaw died in April 2003 at the age of 62 , according to the British Film Institute.

Babs Olusanmokun has a starring role in "Strange New Worlds" as a younger version of the character.

When the cast list of "Strange New Worlds" was announced in 2021 , you might have been surprised (and excited) to see that the Enterprise's chief medical officer wouldn't be Dr. McCoy, but instead Dr. M'Benga.

Over the course of the first season, we learned that M'Benga is a widower and has a daughter, Rukiya, who has an incurable, degenerative disease. We also learn that he's just as capable as Bones ever was.

In season two, we learned even more about M'Begna, including his past experiences as a soldier in the Klingon-Federation War.

Jeffrey Hunter and Sean Kenney played two different versions of Captain Christopher Pike, the captain of the Enterprise before Kirk.

Originally, "Star Trek" was supposed to be the story of Captain Pike aboard the starship Enterprise, played by Hunter. He starred in a pilot, called "The Cage," that was rejected by the network, which is how we ended up with our beloved Captain Kirk and William Shatner.

But instead of letting that footage go to waste, it was repurposed for a "TOS" episode called "The Menagerie," which sees a severely disfigured and disabled Pike (now played by Kenney) return to a planet called Talos IV, where he can live out the rest of his life under the illusion he's been cured, with the help of Spock.

Kenney played two other characters during "TOS" in the episodes "Arena" and "A Taste of Armageddon."

According to The New York Times, Hunter died in 1969 at the age of 42.

Bruce Greenwood played an altered version of the character in 2009's "Star Trek" and 2011's "Star Trek Into Darkness."

In the 2009 reboot and its immediate sequel, Greenwood plays a version of Pike pre-horrible accident, who convinces Kirk to enlist in Starfleet and mentors the young captain.

His fate in "Into Darkness" (read: his death at the hands of Benedict Cumberbatch's character), is very different than his TV counterpart's.

Anson Mount first appeared in "Star Trek: Discovery" as Captain Pike in 2019, and his portrayal was so popular that he received his own spin-off, "Strange New Worlds."

Mount made his debut as Captain Pike in season two of " Discovery " in 2019 as the temporary captain of the Discovery while the Enterprise was disabled. This appearance is at least five years after the events of "The Cage," the unaired "Trek" pilot from the '60s.

During one episode of "Discovery," he reunites with a character from "The Cage," Vina (more on her later), and in another, he sees a vision of the terrible accident in his future that causes his disfigurement.

He departed at the end of season two to resume command of the Enterprise and to star in his own spin-off, "Strange New Worlds," which began airing in 2022.

Mount reprised his role on "Short Treks," also in 2019.

Captain Pike's first officer, Una Chin-Riley, or Number One, was originally portrayed by Majel Barrett.

Before Barrett dyed her hair blonde and played Nurse Chapel, she played the first officer, known only as Number One, in the un-aired pilot of "Star Trek" called "The Cage," which was later repurposed into "The Menagerie."

The character wasn't seen again for over 50 years.

Rebecca Romijn now plays Number One in "Strange New Worlds." She also appeared in "Discovery" alongside Mount.

Fifty-six years after Number One was cut from "TOS," Romijn brought new life to the character when she appeared in "Discovery" alongside Anson Mount as Captain Pike in 2019.

She then began starring on "Strange New Worlds" in 2022, during which it was revealed that Number One is actually a genetically modified alien known as an Illyrian. We then learned that Illyrians are forbidden from joining Starfleet, leading to her arrest in the season one finale of "Strange New Worlds."

Thankfully, she was back on the Enterprise before long in season two.

Romijn also appeared in "Short Treks" in 2019.

Mark Lenard played Spock's father Sarek beginning in 1967.

Lenard makes his first appearance as Spock's estranged Vulcan father in the season two episode of "TOS" called "Journey to Babel." He subsequently voiced the character in an episode of "The Animated Series," as well.

In addition to Sarek, Lenard played a Romulan in another episode of "TOS," "Balance of Terror."

His last filmed appearance as the character was the 1991 film "The Undiscovered Country," though he appeared in an episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" that same year.

Lenard reprised the role of Sarek in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth "Trek" movies in 1982, 1986, 1989, and 1991 respectively, playing a pivotal role in the third movie where he convinces Kirk to retrieve Spock's body in order to reunite it with Spock's soul during a Vulcan ritual.

Lenard appeared in the first "Trek" movie too in 1979, though not as Sarek. Instead, he played an unnamed Klingon commander.

Sarek also appeared in two episodes of "TNG" in 1990 and 1991, one of which was named after him. In it, he develops a close friendship with Captain Picard. His next appearance, "Unification" in 1991, saw him reunite with his on-screen son, Spock. Sarek dies during this two-part episode.

Lenard died in November 1996 when he was 68 years old , according to The Washington Post.

Ben Cross played Sarek in the 2009 reboot.

During a brief scene in the beginning of the 2009 film, and then during a scene where Spock returns to Vulcan, his father Sarek is played by Cross. He did not reprise the role for "Into Darkness" or "Beyond."

Cross died in August 2020 at age 72 , Deadline reported.

Sarek has most recently appeared in "Discovery," as played by James Frain, starting in 2017.

Sarek has a relatively important role in "Discovery," as he's both the father of Spock (who pops up in season two) and the adopted father of the show's main character, Michael Burnham.

It was confirmed in the second season of "Strange New Worlds" that Spock and his father are not on good terms.

Spock's human mother Amanda Grayson was first played by Jane Wyatt in the original series.

Wyatt played Spock's human mother Grayson in one episode of "TOS," the same one that Sarek made his debut in: "Journey to Babel."

Majel Barrett also voiced her in an animated episode, "Yesteryear."

Wyatt reprised the role for the 1986 film "The Voyage Home."

After Spock is resurrected during the events of "Star Trek III," his mother, played by Wyatt, returned for "Star Trek IV" to encourage her son to reconnect with his humanity.

Wyatt died in October 2006. She was 96 , according to The New York Times.

Winona Ryder took over the role in 2009 in "Star Trek."

Much ado was made about how Ryder was cast as the mother of Zachary Quinto, as she was only six years older than him.

But, Ryder only appears in a few minutes of the movie, donning makeup to show age, to briefly reunite with her son Spock on Vulcan before she dies during the planet's destruction.

Mia Kirshner began playing her in 2017 on "Discovery," and has since appeared on "Strange New Worlds."

Kirshner took on the role of Grayson in "Discovery," mainly as the adopted mother of Michael Burnham, though she did connect with Spock once he popped up on that show.

She returned in 2023 during an episode of season two of "Strange New Worlds" to help Spock after he was accidentally turned into a human.

Khan Noonien Singh, one of the most iconic villains in "Trek" history, debuted in an episode of the original series. He was played by Ricardo Montalban.

"Space Seed," an episode during the first season of "TOS," has been named one of the best episodes of "Trek" of all time. Lots of that credit can be given to Montalban's performance as Khan, a genetically modified super-human who tries to take over the Enterprise to bring "order" to the Federation.

At the end of the episode, Kirk chooses to sentence Khan and his people to live on a bountiful planet called Ceti Alpha V, with the intention of telling Starfleet to check in on them in 100 years.

Montalban returned for the 1982 film "Wrath of Khan."

By the events of "Star Trek II," Ceti Alpha V has become a wasteland due to the explosion of neighboring planet of Ceti Alpha VI, and Khan and his people have grown bitter and desperate.

Montalban absolutely steals the show Khan, quoting classic literature, going toe-to-toe with Kirk, and indirectly killing Spock.

But, of course, the crew of the Enterprise prevails and Khan is blown to smithereens.

While adult Khan has not shown up since "Wrath of Khan," a descendant of his, La'an Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong) is a regular on "Strange New Worlds."

The Los Angeles Times reported that Montalban died in January 2009. He was 88.

Benedict Cumberbatch (controversially) played Khan in the 2011 film "Star Trek Into Darkness."

Leading up to the release of "Into Darkness," the creative team and cast swore up and down that Cumberbatch  wasn't  playing Khan , but a different antagonist named John Harrison.

But then, fans watched as it was revealed that John Harrison was a fake name and Cumberbatch was indeed playing Kirk's most famous nemesis, Khan.

This choice generated some controversy , as Khan was described as a person of Indian descent and Montalban himself was Mexican — and Cumberbatch is white, as Screen Rant's Dusty Stowe wrote.

A young Khan from an alternate universe played by Desmond Sivan showed up in season two of "Strange New Worlds" in 2023.

During the episode, called "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow," La'an is sent back in time to an alternate past in order to save the world, but she doesn't know what event she's supposed to be preventing. She's helped in this mission by an alternate Captain Kirk.

In a cruel twist of fate, La'an is forced to save a young Khan's life, because his death in the 21st century would set off a terrible future — and the alternate Kirk unknowingly sacrifices himself for the person who will one day kill his friend.

Arlene Martel played Spock's betrothed, T'Pring, in a 1967 episode.

During a famous episode of "TOS'" first season, "Amok Time," viewers were introduced to T'Pring, Spock's previously unmentioned fiancée. During the episode, it becomes clear that T'Pring doesn't not actually want to marry Spock, and instead loves a Vulcan named Stonn. After this episode, she's never mentioned again.

Martel died in August 2014 at age 78 , according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Gia Sandhu now plays T'Pring in a recurring role on "Strange New Worlds."

"Strange New Worlds" picks up years before "Amok Time," and, as such, T'Pring and Spock were at first very much in love and each dedicated to making their relationship work, despite their differences.

Sandhu appeared throughout the first season in a recurring role, but after her and Spock's relationship was put on pause in season two, we don't know how much more of her we'll see in the future.

Roger C. Carmel's Harry Mudd is another "Trek" antagonist who has lasted through the decades, appearing in two episodes of the original series and two episodes of the animated series.

Harry Mudd, or Harcourt Fenton Mudd if you prefer, appeared in four episodes across "TOS" and "The Animated Series," always trying to get one over on the crew of the Enterprise, looking for the best angle, and perpetually scamming those around him.

Carmel died in November 1986 at age 54 , according to The Los Angeles Times.

"The Office" star Rainn Wilson put his own spin on Mudd in "Discovery" and "Short Treks."

Wilson brought Mudd into the 21st century when he played the famed scammer in two episodes of "Discovery" in 2017 and in an episode of "Short Treks" in 2019 which he also directed.

In 2021, Wilson was campaigning to bring Mudd back into the fold and have him appear in "Strange New Worlds" at a fan convention, according to "Trek" fansite Trek Movie. Maybe in season three!

Susan Oliver played the lone survivor of a ship crash named Vina in an episode of "Star Trek."

Technically, Oliver as Vina was part of the un-aired pilot "The Cage." Vina was a woman living on Talos VI after a ship crash left her stranded there.

Her plight was then shown in the "TOS" episode "The Menagerie," which told the tale of Vina's first meeting with Captain Pike. The two fell in love while Pike was being held captive on the planet, but when the Talosians realized that humans can't be enslaved, they let Pike and his crew go.

While Pike wants Vina to come with him, she reveals she was heavily injured and disfigured during her crash, and the Talosians have used their powers of illusion to make her appear young and beautiful. She must stay behind in order to keep her appearance as is.

According to The New York Times, Oliver died in May 1990 at age 61 .

Vina appeared in "Discovery" too, as played by Melissa George.

Some time after their encounter in "The Cage," Pike and Vina became telepathically linked to communicate once more after some years apart.

Vina, now played by George in a 2019 episode of "Discovery," reveals to Pike that the Talosians have allowed her to live out her days with an illusionary version of Pike to keep her company.

What neither of them knows, yet, is that after Pike has his accident, he will reunite with Vina on Talos VI so they can both live their own "happy" illusions , as seen in "The Menagerie."

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Star Trek: Characters Who Were In Both The Original Series & Next Generation

Taking a look as some of the retuning familiar faces, and what their character have been up to since TOS.

Over the years there have been many additions made to the Star Trek universe. The franchise now includes a plethora of old and new TV shows, movies of varying successes , and a near countless amount of (technically not canon) books and video games. All this world building, character development, and amazing real world influencing technology all stemmed from The Original Series created in the late 1960s by Gene Roddenberry, a space sitcom with a very low budget but big dreams.

Each proceeding show owes their very existence to TOS. They occasionally pay homage to it within the fictional universe, including some great character crossovers between different shows. Among the sequel series, no show did this more than The Next Generation, the show that was made next after TOS. Here are the top reappearing characters in TNG.

RELATED: Star Trek: How Kirk Used His Trauma & Pain To Become A Great Captain

Potentially the most iconic of all Star Trek characters, the original pointy-eared, meme magnet Vulcan played a big part in creating the wonderful and often wacky world of TOS. Spock was one of the main characters in the old show, and his importance within the fictional world was just as influential

Spock played a pivotal role in the TNG episodes “Unification 1” and “2,” a two-part story in Season 5. Spock at this time has left his iconic role within Starfleet and spends his time as a Federation Ambassador, working hard to try and reunite his people with their long-lost cousins the Romulans . The episode is praised not only for the nostalgia of seeing a friendly, if stoic, face of Spock, but for introducing a duality to the previously one-dimensional villain Romulans. The episode features a peaceful Romulan faction, something not seen before.

Leading on from Spock was his father Sarek, who appeared as a much younger Vulcan in the TOS episode “Journey to Babel.” Mark Lenard, who played the character, returned in the “Sarek” TNG episode, but did also make a short appearance in “Unification 1.”

His appearance within the newer show is a memorable one, as it shows the Vulcans in an entirely new light. Sarek is suffering from Bendii Syndrome , a degenerative illness that affects the Vulcans' ability to control their emotions. Sarek is shown barely managing to control these feelings, projecting them onto others aboard the ship. It’s one of the best episodes of TNG. Seeing a familiar face not only sprinkles some nostalgia over audiences, but adds level of emotional depth not often seen within the Vulcan characters.

DeForest Kelley came back to play a much older version of his wisecracking, no-funny-business Dr McCoy in the very first episode of TNG, “Encounter at Farpoint.” While all the familiar faces on this list can be linked heavily with fan service, this one was potentially the most overt and intended. It brought back a beloved and iconic character to be part of the new show, kickstarting it into a whole new narrative.

The episode featured many of the fictional characters swooning over McCoy's presence, much like many long time fans would have been. His involvement in the show was kept quiet until it aired, happily surprising audiences.

One of the more memorable appearances comes from surviving redshirt , TOS chief of engineering Montgomery Scott. His return to the franchise was also a canonical return to the world of the living after 75 years of being presumed dead. The crew of the new Enterprise, captained by Picard, discover him trapped within a transporter buffer onboard the previously missing USS Jenolan, a transport ship that went missing years ago with Scotty on board. Disability icon and new Enterprise chief of engineering Geordi LaForge finds a way to extract Scotty’s pattern from the transporter and restores the man to physical form. In his appearance,

Scotty has no idea how many years have passed. His appearance is a great one, and connects the vastly different worlds of TOS and TNG. Scotty is amazed by all the developments over the years. It’s a great way of empathizing the differences between the two shows in an organic way. Plus, it’s always great to see the charming Scotsman back.

Kirk’s appearance is a bit of a stretch. While he does make a lengthy appearance, it’s within the movie Generations , which is technically a TNG centric movie. While McCoy showed visually how many years had passed, Scotty and Kirk were able to maintain some of their youthful vigor.

In the film, Kirk has been trapped within the ‘Nexus’ for 78 years. His ‘death,’ shown at the start of the film, happened during the inaugural flight of his iconic ship's replacement, the USS Enterprise-B . They were damaged by an energy blast from the nexus that breached the hull and seemingly killed Kirk, evaporating his body in the process. In reality he was trapped, rather peacefully as it turns out, within the Nexus. He was there until Picard came along and persuaded him to leave, which, ironically, led to his actual death at the end of the film.

MORE: Star Trek: The Best Fourth Wall Breaks In The Franchise

Meet the Star Trek characters from the Original Series to Strange New Worlds

Journey through the stars: get to know the diverse star trek characters.

by Christian Saclao June 26, 2023, 11:42 pm

Star Trek has been around for over 50 years so it’s no surprise that it has introduced a lot of compelling characters who have left an indelible mark on popular culture. If you’re new to the universe created by Gene Roddenberry   and want to meet all those Star Trek  icons in a flash, one of the quickest ways is to read this article. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll introduce you to some of the legendary characters from each Star Trek TV series, starting from  The Original Series   to the latest  Star Trek s series,  Strange New Worlds .

Star Trek: The Original Series main characters (1966-1969)

Set in the 23rd century, The Original Series  follows the adventures of the starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701) and its crew. The three-season show features the following characters.

• Captain James T. Kirk  (William Shatner) is the commanding officer of the USS Enterprise. Captain Kirk is a brilliant tactician and a skilled diplomat. He is also known for his charisma and his sense of adventure.
• Spock  (Leonard Nimoy) is the first officer of the Enterprise. He is a half-human, half-Vulcan, which gives him a unique perspective on the galaxy. He is also a highly skilled scientist and a brilliant strategist.
• Leonard “Bones” McCoy  (DeForest Kelley) is the chief medical officer of the Enterprise. Leonard McCoy is a curmudgeonly doctor who is known for his sharp wit and his dry humor. He is also a skilled surgeon and a dedicated physician.
• Montgomery “Scotty” Scott  (James Doohan) is the chief engineer of the Enterprise. Montgomery Scott is a brilliant engineer who is known for his Scottish accent and his love of wordplay. He is also a skilled starship builder and a dedicated Starfleet officer.
• Nyota Uhura  (Nichelle Nichols) is the communications officer of the Enterprise. She is a skilled linguist who is fluent in over 60 languages. She is also a strong advocate for equality and justice.
• Hikaru Sulu  (George Takei) is the helmsman of the Enterprise. He is a skilled pilot who is known for his calm demeanor and his sense of duty. He is also a dedicated Starfleet officer.
• Pavel Chekov  (Walter Koenig) is the navigator and security officer of the Enterprise. He is a skilled navigator who is known for his quick wit and his love of adventure. He is also a dedicated Starfleet officer.
• Christine Chapel (Majel Barrett) is the head nurse who works with Dr. McCoy aboard the Enterprise. She is always willing to go the extra mile to help her patients and often puts the needs of others before her own.

Star Trek: The Animated Series main characters (1973-1974)

The Animated Series features mostly the same Enterprise crew as  The Original Series . Here are The Original Series cast members who returned for The Animated Series as part of the voice cast:

• William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk
• Leonard Nimoy as Spock
• DeForest Kelley as Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy
• James Doohan as Montgomery “Scotty” Scott
• Nichelle Nichols  as Nyota Uhura
• George Takei as Hikaru Sulu
• Majel Barrett as Christine Chapel

Star Trek: The Next Generation main characters (1987-1994)

The Next Generation (TNG) is set in the latter third of the 24th century when Earth is part of the United Federation of Planets. The seven-season series follows the adventures of the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) as they explore the galaxy, particularly the Alpha quadrant in the Milky Way. TNG features the following main characters:

• Captain Jean-Luc Picard  (Patrick Stewart) is the commanding officer of the USS Enterprise-D. He is a wise and compassionate leader who is always willing to help others.
• William T. Riker  (Jonathan Frakes) is the first officer of the Enterprise-D. He is a loyal and capable officer who is always ready to follow Picard’s orders.
• Data  (Brent Spiner) is an android who is the second officer of the Enterprise-D. He is a brilliant scientist and a skilled officer who is always learning and growing.
• Geordi La Forge  (LeVar Burton) is the chief engineer of the Enterprise-D. He is a skilled engineer who is always coming up with new and innovative solutions to problems.
• Worf  (Michael Dorn) is the security chief of the Enterprise-D. He is a Klingon warrior who is always willing to fight for what he believes in.
• Deanna Troi  (Marina Sirtis) is the ship’s counselor. She is a half-Betazoid who is able to sense other people’s emotions. She is a wise and compassionate counselor who is always willing to help others.
• Dr. Beverly Crusher  (Gates McFadden) is the chief medical officer of Enterprise-D. She is a skilled doctor who is always willing to help others.
• Wesley Crusher  ( Wil Wheaton ) is the son of Beverly Crusher. He is a brilliant young man who is always eager to learn new things.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine main characters (1993–1999)

Also set in the 24th century,  Deep Space Nine  (DS9) centers on the eponymous space station Deep Space Nine. Unlike previous Star Trek TV series, DS9  takes place primarily in a fixed location rather than a starship. The series follows the adventures of the diverse DS9 crew and inhabitants, who are as follows:

• Benjamin Sisko  (Avery Brooks) is the commanding officer of Deep Space Nine. He is a strong and determined leader who is always willing to do what is right.
• Kira Nerys  (Nana Visitor) is a Bajoran resistance fighter who becomes the first officer of Deep Space Nine. She is a fierce warrior who is always willing to fight for her people.
• Jadzia Dax  (Terry Farrell) is a Trill symbiote who is the science officer of Deep Space Nine. She is a wise and experienced officer who is always willing to help others.
• Julian Bashir  (Alexander Siddig) is a brilliant doctor who is the chief medical officer of Deep Space Nine. He is a kind and compassionate doctor who is always willing to help his patients.
• Jake Sisko  (Cirroc Lofton) is Benjamin Sisko’s son. He is a young man who is trying to find his place in the world.
• Odo  (René Auberjonois) is a changeling who is the security chief of Deep Space Nine. He is a mysterious and enigmatic figure who is always keeping his own counsel.
• Quark  (Armin Shimerman) is a Ferengi bartender who owns the bar Quark’s on Deep Space Nine. He is a shrewd businessman who is always looking for a way to make a profit.
• Colm Meaney  (Miles O’Brien) is the station’s chief engineer of Deep Space Nine. He is also a skilled engineer who is always coming up with new and innovative solutions to problems.

Star Trek: Voyager main characters (1995-2001)

Voyager is a seven-season  Star Trek  series set in the 24th century. It follows the adventures of the starship USS Voyager, which is unexpectedly transported to the far reaches of the galaxy known as the Delta Quadrant. The show features the following Voyager crew:

• Kathryn Janeway  (Kate Mulgrew) is the commanding officer of the USS Voyager. She is a strong and determined leader who is always willing to do what is right.
• Chakotay  (Robert Beltran) is the first officer of Voyager and a former Maquis leader. He is a wise and experienced leader who is always willing to help others.
• B’Elanna Torres  (Roxann Dawson) is the chief engineer of Voyager and a former Maquis member. She is a skilled engineer who is always coming up with new and innovative solutions to problems.
• Tom Paris  (Robert Duncan McNeill) is the helmsman of Voyager and a former Starfleet officer. He is a charming and witty officer who is always looking for a way to have fun.
• Kes  (Jennifer Lien) is an Ocampa nurse and medical apprentice until her departure from Voyager in 2374. She is a kind and compassionate woman who is always willing to help others.
• Neelix  (Ethan Phillips) is the ship’s cook and morale officer. He is a quirky and eccentric man who is always looking for new ways to entertain the crew.
• The Doctor  (Robert Picardo) is the holographic chief medical officer of Voyager. He is a brilliant doctor who is always willing to help his patients.
• Tuvok  (Tim Russ) is the chief security/tactical officer of Voyager. He is a stoic and disciplined Vulcan who is always willing to follow orders.
• Seven of Nine  (Jeri Ryan) is a former Borg drone who is rescued by Voyager. She is a strong and independent woman who is always learning about her human side.
• Harry Kim  (Harry Wang)  is the Operations Officer aboard the USS Voyager. He is responsible for overseeing the ship’s systems and communications.

Star Trek: Enterprise main characters (2001-2005)

Set in the 22nd century, chronologically preceding the formation of the United Federation of Planets, Enterprise follows the crew of Enterprise NX-01, Starfleet’s first starship capable of traveling at warp five. The four-season series follows the following characters:

• Jonathan Archer  (Scott Bakula) is the commanding officer of the USS Enterprise NX-01. He is a strong and determined leader who is always willing to do what is right.
• T’Pol  (Jolene Blalock) is the first officer of the Enterprise and a Vulcan science officer. She is a wise and experienced officer who is always willing to help others.
• Phlox  (John Billingsley) is the chief medical officer of the Enterprise and a Denobulan doctor. He is a brilliant doctor who is always willing to help his patients.
• Malcolm Reed  (Dominic Keating) is the chief security/tactical officer of the Enterprise. He is a skilled officer who is always willing to follow orders.
• Travis Mayweather  (Anthony Montgomery) is the helmsman of the Enterprise. He is a skilled pilot who is always willing to take risks.
• Hoshi Sato  (Linda Park) is the communications officer of the Enterprise. She is a talented linguist who is always willing to learn new languages.
• Charles “Trip” Tucker III  (Connor Trinneer) is the chief engineer of the Enterprise. He is a skilled engineer who is always coming up with new and innovative solutions to problems.

Star Trek: Discovery main characters (2017-present)

Taking place approximately a decade before the events of The Original Series, Discovery follows the adventures of the starship USS Discovery and its crew, who are as follows:

• Michael Burnham  (Sonequa Martin-Green): A Starfleet science specialist and the adopted sister of the original series character Spock. She is a strong and determined leader who is always willing to do what is right.
• Saru  (Doug Jones): The first officer of the USS Discovery who becomes captain for the third season. He is a Kelpien, an alien race created for the series, who is a wise and experienced officer who is always willing to help others.
• Paul Stamets  (Anthony Rapp): The astromycologist on the USS Discovery who is responsible for the spore drive, a new technology that allows the ship to travel faster than warp speed. He is a brilliant scientist who is always coming up with new and innovative solutions to problems.
• Sylvia Tilly  (Mary Wiseman): The cadet who becomes a full bridge officer on the USS Discovery. She is a bright and eager young woman who is always willing to learn and grow.
• Gabriel Lorca  (Jason Isaacs): The captain of the USS Discovery in the first season. He is a mysterious and enigmatic figure who is always keeping his own counsel.
• Hugh Culber  (Wilson Cruz): The chief medical officer on the USS Discovery in the first season. He is a kind and compassionate doctor who is always willing to help his patients.
• Christopher Pike  (Anson Mount): The captain of the USS Discovery in the second season. He is a strong and determined leader who is always willing to do what is right.
• Cleveland “Book” Booker  (David Ajala): A character introduced in the third season of Star Trek: Discovery. He is a human who is a member of the Orion Syndicate. He is a skilled smuggler who is always willing to help others.
• Nhan  (Rachael Ancheril): A character introduced in the third season of Star Trek: Discovery. She is an engineer and security officer who is a member of the Xahean species. She is a skilled warrior who is always willing to fight for what is right.
• Jett Reno  (Tig Notaro): The chief engineer of the USS Hiawatha. She is a skilled engineer who is always coming up with new and innovative solutions to problems.
• Adira Tal  (Blu del Barrio): A character introduced in the third season of Star Trek: Discovery. She is a Trill who is joined by the symbiote Tal. She is a kind and compassionate young woman who is always willing to help others.
• Gray Tal  (Ian Alexander): A character introduced in the third season of Star Trek: Discovery. He is a Trill who is joined by the symbiote Gray. He is a kind and compassionate young man who is always willing to help others.

Star Trek: Picard main characters (2020-2023)

Focusing on the iconic character Jean-Luc Picard, the series takes place approximately 20 years after the events of The Next Generation and follows the retired Starfleet admiral as he is drawn back into interstellar affairs. Check out the main characters of the series below:

• Jean-Luc Picard  (Patrick Stewart): A retired Starfleet admiral who is now living a quiet life in his family vineyard in France. He is a wise and experienced leader who is always willing to do what is right.
• Agnes Jurati  (Alison Pill): A scientist who is working on a project to create synthetic lifeforms. She is a brilliant scientist who is also kind and compassionate.
• Soji Asha  (Isa Briones): A synthetic lifeform who is trying to find her place in the world. She is a kind and compassionate young woman who is also very intelligent.
• Narek  (Harry Treadaway): A Romulan spy who is working undercover on Earth. He is a skilled spy who is also very charming.
• Raffi Musiker  (Michelle Hurd): A former Starfleet officer who is now a private investigator. She is a tough and resourceful woman who is also very loyal.
• Chris Rios  (Santiago Cabrera): A pilot who is working with Picard on his mission. He is a skilled pilot who is also very charming.
• Elnor  (Evan Evagora): A young Romulan who is training to be a warrior. He is a skilled warrior who is also very loyal.
• Seven of Nine  (Jeri Ryan): A former Borg drone who is reintroduced as a member of the Fenris Rangers, a group of vigilantes who fight against injustice, in  Picard.
• Jack Crusher (Ed Speelers): The son of Beverly Crusher and Jean-Luc Picard.

Star Trek: Lower Decks main characters (2020-present)

Lower Decks offers a fresh and comedic take on the franchise. Unlike other Star Trek series that focuses on the senior officers or the commanding crew, Lower Decks shifts its perspective to the lower-ranking crew members serving aboard the USS Cerritos, a less prominent starship in Starfleet. The show features the following characters:

• Beckett Mariner  (Tawny Newsome): A human ensign aboard the USS Cerritos who is the daughter of Captain Freeman. She is a talented officer who is often underestimated because of her lack of experience.
• Brad Boimler  (Jack Quaid): A human ensign aboard the USS Cerritos who is a stickler for the rules and will need to learn how to improvise if he is to become a captain one day.
• D’Vana Tendi  (Noel Wells): An Orion ensign in the medical bay aboard the USS Cerritos, Tendi is a big fan of Starfleet and is thrilled to be on a starship.
• Sam Rutherford  (Eugene Cordero): A Starfleet ensign who is an engineering nerd and has a cybernetic implant.
• Captain Carol Freeman  (Dawnn Lewis): The captain of the USS Cerritos, Freeman is a tough and experienced officer who is always willing to fight for what is right.
• Commander Jack Ransom  (Jerry O’Connell): The first officer of the USS Cerritos, Ransom is a hard-driving officer who is always looking for ways to improve the ship.
• Lieutenant Shaxs  (Fred Tatasciore): The tactical officer aboard the USS Cerritos, Shaxs is a skilled warrior who is always willing to fight for the crew.
• Doctor T’Ana  (Gillian Vigman): The chief medical officer aboard the USS Cerritos, T’Ana is a no-nonsense doctor who is always willing to help her patients.

Star Trek: Prodigy main characters (2021-present)

Specifically targeted towards a younger audience,  Prodigy follows a group of diverse and resourceful teenagers who find themselves aboard an abandoned starship in the Delta Quadrant. With the help of a holographic guide of the legendary Starfleet officer Captain Kathryn Janeway, the young protagonists embark on a thrilling adventure, navigating the ship and its advanced technology while unraveling the mysteries of the cosmos. Meet the show’s main cast below:

• Dal  (Brett Gray): A 17-year-old human who is the leader of the group. He is a maverick who is always willing to take risks. (voiced by Brett Gray)
• Zero  (Angus Imrie): A Medusan, a noncorporeal, genderless, energy-based lifeform. They are a wise and mysterious being who is always willing to help others. (voiced by Angus Imrie)
• Jankom Pog  (Jason Mantzoukas): A 16-year-old Tellarite who is the comic relief of the group. He is a bit of a troublemaker, but he is also a loyal friend. (voiced by Jason Mantzoukas)
• Gwyn  (Ella Purnell): A 17-year-old Vau N’Akat who is the engineer of the group. She is a brilliant engineer who is always willing to help others. (voiced by Ella Purnell)
• Murf  (Dee Bradley Baker): An unknown species that is the pet of the group. They are a mischievous blob who is always getting into trouble. (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker)
• Rok-Tahk (Rylee Alazraqu): A Brikarian female who is an enthusiastic and compassionate individual. She is also a skilled xenobiologist and is fascinated by all life forms.
• Drednok  (Jimmi Simpson): A sentient android who serves as the right-hand man of The Diviner. He is a ruthless and cruel being who is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve his goals.
• The Diviner (John Noble): The main antagonist of the first season of Prodigy . He is a Vau N’Akat, a species of insectoid aliens who are native to the Delta Quadrant. He is a ruthless and manipulative being who is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve his goals.
• Hologram Captain Kathryn Janeway  (Kate Mulgrew): Kathryn Janeway’s holographic representation.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds main characters (2022-present)

A spinoff from Discovery, Strange New Worlds focuses on the adventures of the USS Enterprise in the decade before Captain James T. Kirk assumes command of the starship. The series features the following characters:

• Christopher Pike  (Anson Mount): The captain of the USS Enterprise. He is a wise and experienced leader who is always willing to help others.
• Spock  (Ethan Peck): The science officer of the USS Enterprise. He is a Vulcan who is known for his logic and his ability to solve problems.
• Una Chin-Riley  (Rebecca Romijn): The first officer of the USS Enterprise. She is an Illyrian who is known for her intelligence and her loyalty to Starfleet.
• Christine Chapel  (Jess Bush): The nurse of the USS Enterprise. She is a kind and compassionate individual who is always willing to help others.
• La’an Noonien-Singh  (Christina Chong): The chief security officer of the USS Enterprise. She is a human Starfleet officer who is known for her strength and her skills in combat.
• Nyota Uhura  (Celia Rose Gooding): The communications officer of the USS Enterprise. She is a human who is known for her intelligence and her ability to speak multiple languages.
• Erica Ortegas  (Melissa Navia): The helmsman of the USS Enterprise. She is a human who is known for her skills in piloting and her sense of humor.
• Joseph M’Benga  (Babs Olusanmokun): The doctor of the USS Enterprise. He is a human who is known for his compassion and his ability to heal others.
• Hemmer  (Bruce Horak): The chief engineer of the USS Enterprise. He is an Aenar who is known for his intelligence and his ability to fix anything.

Sources: StarTrek.com , Paramount Plus

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1 star trek actor starred alongside 5 classic captains.

Joseph Ruskin holds an impressive Star Trek record by appearing on screen alongside five of the franchise's most recognized, classic captains.

• Joseph Ruskin's unique distinction lies in appearing alongside all classic Star Trek captains, solidifying his legacy across multiple series.
• His diverse roles range from commanding as the Cardassian Informant to guiding as the Vulcan Master, showcasing his versatility.
• Despite brief appearances, Ruskin's impactful performances and distinct characters add depth and intrigue to the Star Trek universe.

Actor Joseph Ruskin appeared alongside five classic Star Trek captains . Appearing in small or minor roles amid ensembles including Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), and Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula), Ruskin holds an important and distinguished Star Trek claim. Joseph Ruskin is the only actor to have worked alongside each of the franchise's earliest captains (not including Captain Christopher Pike (Jeffrey Hunter), Star Trek's pilot episode commanding officer.

Born Joseph Richard Schlafman, Ruskin sadly passed away from natural causes in December 2013 at the age of 89. Besides voice acting roles in two video games, Ruskin's Star Trek links include working alongside many franchise actors on other creative projects – including Leonard Nimoy in "The Outer Limits" (1964) and Chris Pine in "Smokin' Aces" (2006). Both Nimoy and Pine, Spock, and James T. Kirk, respectively, starred in Star Trek movies as captains, further enhancing Ruskin's captainly distinction. Ruskin's roles in four Star Trek series and a movie are a unique glimpse into the layered intergalactic community's diversity and a fun exploration of Ruskin's convincing and comprehensive acting talents.

How To Watch All Star Trek TV Shows In Timeline Order

6 star trek: the original series season 2, episode 17 - "the gamesters of triskelion", joseph ruskin as galt.

In the Star Trek: The Original Series episode "The Gamesters of Triskelion", Joseph Ruskin plays Galt, a mysterious figure dressed in a black robe with a large red collar. The master thrall of the planet Triskelion, Galt is a mildly chilling figure, able to dole out a painful punishment for bad or undesired behaviors, his eyes shining like stars as the new thralls’ collars of obedience glow and cause severe discomfort. Playing with themes of slavery and consent, "The Gamesters of Triskelion" is somewhat dark and disturbing, and Ruskin’s role as Galt is subtle, muted, strong, and unflinching.

Galt marks the obedience collars once thralls have been purchased by the highest bidding Providers, overseeing training exercises, employing the use of less valuable thralls for target practice and example, and issuing painful and unpleasant punishments for refused participation or commands. The ominous, imposing Galt is a menacing and mighty allegory of humanity’s terrible past and the allusion to potential other-worldly dangers awaiting mankind throughout space. It’s a strong, if undefined, performance – and a dependably noble first franchise performance from this long-spanning Star Trek actor.

A photograph of Galt, along with drill thralls Tamoon (Jane Ross) and Shahna (Angelique Pettyjohn), was shown in Star Trek: Lower Decks, Season 2, Episode 5 - "An Embarrassment of Dooplers."

5 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Season 3, Episode 3 - "The House of Quark" & Season 5, Episode 3 - "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places"

Joseph ruskin plays tumek.

Joseph Ruskin appeared as the Klingon Tumek in two episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Prominently Klingon culture-driven, these episodes revolve primarily around Quark (Armin Shimerman) , with Tumek introduced as a respected and much-trusted advisor to Grilka (Mary Kay Adams). Older and wise, Tumek had an essential role in Grilka's house and demonstrated an insightful, honest, loyal, and honorable personality with a keen understanding of familial politics and a tired clarity and awareness of other characters' motivations.

In the DS9 season 3 episode, "The House of Quark," Grilka abducts Quark to her home on Qo'noS and later weds him at knifepoint after he falsely claims responsibility for her husband's accidental death in an attempt to boost his business. As Quark quickly finds himself in a dilemma of deception, alien customs, and relational manipulation, Tumek informs him that he's played into the devious schemes of Grilka's opponent. Though Quark eventually navigates his way out of these circumstances with a distinctly Ferengi financial flair, this episode is an exciting look at Klingon culture, tradition, and inter-species relationships.

Ruskin impressively aids the narrative with a commanding and convincing character

Similar themes are also explored in the DS9 season 5 episode, "Looking For pah'Mach in All the Wrong Places." Lt. Commander Worf (Michael Dorn) and Quark learn about Klingon mating rituals and work together to woo Quark's ex-wife, Grilka. Ruskin's Tumek quickly warns Worf away , with the much-loved Klingon character subsequently working to aid Quark's efforts in love. When Quark and Grilka retire for their Klingon mating ritual, Worf is engaged in a similar ceremony by Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell). Ruskin impressively aids the narrative with a commanding and convincing character, demonstrating skillful acting prowess and a sympathetic understanding of the subject matter.

4 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Season 3, Episode 20 - "Improbable Cause"

Joseph ruskin plays a cardassian informant.

In this first part of a complex and winding two-episode story , the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine officers launch an investigation following an explosion in Elim Garak’s (Andrew Robinson) tailor shop. With traces of a bomb located in the debris and Garak’s list of enemies a mile long, the scope of Constable Odo’s (Rene Auberjonois) task to uncover the culprit(s) is daunting. Later rocked by another explosion, a potential poisoning, Garak’s own complicity, and suspicions over Romulan involvement in the attacks on Garak’s life, Odo meets a shadowy contact on a lifeless moon.

Ruskin again performs well here, manipulating the audience and narrative with a series of obscure and stylized shots that show little of his appearance

The Cardassian Informant (Joseph Ruskin) is mysterious, suspicious, and literally cloaked in a veil of darkness. He confirms Odo’s suspicions about the Romulans’ involvement but alludes to a bigger picture with the revelation of Romulan vessels along the Cardassian border and news that other operatives of the Obsidian Order (besides Garak) were recently killed in suspicious circumstances. With an impressively clear Cardassian countenance, Ruskin’s Informant is vague, credible, and yet questionable. Evoking an air of Garak-esque duplicity, the Informant is informative and dubious, doing much to escalate the tension and secrecy of the scene.

Remarkably removed from his previous franchise roles, Ruskin again performs well here, manipulating the audience and narrative with a series of obscure and stylized shots that show little of his appearance but his eyes and overall presence. With this limited physical opportunity, Ruskin impressively conveys a multi-layered, intelligent, and memorable character with a wealth of qualities and depths. Ruskin offers a compellingly intriguing character of questionable morality in an exciting tale of conspiracy, assassination, and deception.

The Obsidian Order was an intelligence agency in the Cardassian Union.

3 Star Trek: Voyager Season 5, Episode 13 - "Gravity"

Joseph ruskin plays a vulcan master.

When a USS Voyager shuttle crash lands on a class D desert planet, Lt. Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeil) and Lt. Tuvok (Tim Russ) encounter Noss (Lori Petty) and quickly work together to establish shelter and activate The Doctor (Robert Picardo) to treat Noss’ wounds. Noss’ developing feelings for Tuvok provokes the Vulcan to remember his experiences from his youth with a Vulcan Master (Joseph Ruskin) where he admitted to various volatile emotions stemming from a romantic attraction. Ruskin’s Vulcan Master promptly informs the young Tuvok that he must train to control his emotions to avoid being consumed by them – particularly pertaining to love.

Ruskin's performance is balanced and gentle, but characteristically intense and wholly transformative

Occupying a pivotal influence on Tuvok, Ruskin’s role in this episode is both brief and dignified . Patiently guiding an emotionally unbalanced and untrained young Tuvok, Ruskin’s Vulcan Master offered guidance and teaching on powerful emotions and the power of embracing logic. It’s a pleasant character, again offering interesting insight into Vulcan culture and tradition, and demonstrating ongoing importance through Tuvok’s own recalled memories. Ruskin’s performance is balanced and gentle, but characteristically intense and wholly transformative – using a small, shared space to make a strong, artistic, and impactful statement.

Star Trek: Voyager Cast & Character Guide

2 star trek: enterprise, season 1, episode 1 - "broken bow", jospeh ruskin plays a suliban doctor.

Joseph Ruskin as a Suliban doctor in Star Trek: Enterprise 's series premiere , "Broken Bow". The Suliban doctor works alongside Silik to administer truth drugs to Klaang (Tiny Lister, Jr), a Klingon courier who crashed on Earth. Klaang's transport to the Klingon homeworld was the inaugural mission of Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) and the NX-01 Enterprise, which the Suliban disrupted in their efforts to capture Klaang.

Playing a Suliban doctor is a questionable and admittedly limited role for Joseph Ruskin, not offering as much opportunity to shine as in previous performances, but Ruskin still makes a clear and noteworthy impression. Maintaining his pattern of distinctly different character portrayals in each role, Ruskin again works with little to create much. It’s an interesting study of the actor’s range, particularly in so full a costume, and the impressive ability to convey a layered personality and rich mindset with little room to maneuver in the story’s script or narrative.

1 Star Trek: Insurrection

Joseph ruskin plays a son'a officer.

In Star Trek: Insurrection , Joseph Ruskin plays a Son'a officer who has a showdown with Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) late in the film. Ruskin's Son’a officer aboard the flagship of Ru’afo (F. Murray Abraham) faces a choice between destruction or defeat when Riker sets the USS Enterprise-E on a collision course with the Son'a ship, and Lt. Commander Worf (Michael Dorn) confirms that it isn’t a bluff. Ruskin’s character orders evasive maneuvers, exposing the ship to direct fire from the Enterprise – and effectively surrenders. The ship’s life support subsequently disabled, the Son'a are transferred to the Federation flagship.

Ruskin's role in Star Trek: Insurrection is relatively brief yet well-rounded and resonating.

Joseph Ruskin has an interesting role in Star Trek: Insurrection, not a large part, but certainly one of note. Like his other appearances in Star Trek , Ruskin’s part in Star Trek: Insurrection is relatively brief yet well-rounded and resonating. Picking up an impressive credit as an actor in each of these early series alongside five of Star Trek ’s most important captains, Joseph Ruskin demonstrates originality, creativity, longevity, and depth . In roles ranging from minor enemy support characters to a traditional Klingon advisor and a learned Vulcan guide, Ruskin’s easy, dynamic, and approachable performances in each instance remarkably reflect an earned and innate inner confidence and obvious natural talent.

Star Trek: Insurrection is available for streaming on Max.

All Star Trek series (except Prodigy) are available for streaming on Paramount+.

Star Trek: The Original Series

Star Trek: The Original Series follows the exploits of the crew of the USS Enterprise. On a five-year mission to explore uncharted space, Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) must trust his crew - Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (Forest DeKelley), Montgomery "Scotty" Scott (James Doohan), Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Chekov (Walter Koenig) and Sulu (George Takei) - with his life. Facing previously undiscovered life forms and civilizations and representing humanity among the stars on behalf of Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets, the Enterprise regularly comes up against impossible odds and diplomatic dilemmas.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, also known as DS9, is the fourth series in the long-running Sci-Fi franchise, Star Trek. DS9 was created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller, and stars Avery Brooks, René Auberjonois, Terry Farrell, and Cirroc Lofton. This particular series follows a group of individuals in a space station near a planet called Bajor.

Star Trek: Voyager

The fifth entry in the Star Trek franchise, Star Trek: Voyager, is a sci-fi series that sees the crew of the USS Voyager on a long journey back to their home after finding themselves stranded at the far ends of the Milky Way Galaxy. Led by Captain Kathryn Janeway, the series follows the crew as they embark through truly uncharted areas of space, with new species, friends, foes, and mysteries to solve as they wrestle with the politics of a crew in a situation they've never faced before. 

Star Trek: Enterprise

Star Trek: Enterprise acts as a prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series, detailing the voyages of the original crew of the Starship Enterprise in the 22nd century, a hundred years before Captain Kirk commanded the ship. Enterprise was the sixth series in the Star Trek franchise overall, and the final series before a twelve-year hiatus until the premiere of Star Trek: Discovery in 2017. The series stars Scott Bakula as Captain Jonathan Archer, with an ensemble cast that includes John Billingsley, Jolene Blalock, Dominic Keating, Anthony Montgomery, Linda Park, and Connor Trinneer.

Civilizations Based On Earth History In Star Trek: TOS

• Encounters in Star Trek often mirror Earth civilizations; from Roman spectaculars to Nazi influences, the show draws parallels to history.
• TOS writers reused sets and props for alien worlds to reflect Hodgkin's Law; Earth-type planets develop similar civilizations.
• Star Trek explores ethical and political themes; from the Vietnam War analogy on Neural to the totalitarianism on Ekos, each planet's tale has a lesson.

Space, proclaims Captain James T. Kirk of the Starship Enterprise , is the final frontier, an undiscovered place full of groundbreaking discoveries just waiting to be made. While the heroes of Star Trek: The Original Series do meet a variety of strange alien lifeforms during their voyages, other encounters hit far closer to home.

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TOS was not afraid to reuse props and sets from other productions when crafting alien worlds. Indeed, Star Trek 's writers even devised an explanation for this practice: Hodgkin's Law of Parallel Planetary Development, referenced in several episodes, states that all Earth-type planets are likely to display similar civilizational arcs. From modern-day Romans to a gangster planet, Kirk gets a taste of home, no matter how far out he explores.

Before The Planet Was Called "Miri," It Was Referred To As "Earth Two"

• "Miri" (Season 1, Episode 8)

Bearing an uncanny resemblance to Earth, the planet Miri is beset by a deadly virus when the Enterprise makes contact. As a result of a science experiment gone wrong, the adult population has died out, leaving the planet under the control of its infant inhabitants. Kirk and his crew soon find themselves not only at the mercy of the children but also suffering from the effects of the planet's disease. However, Dr. McCoy is able to cure the virus, laying the foundations for Miri's return to normality.

Indeed, Miri is so similar to Earth that the planet was not named in the episode's initial script, instead being referred to as "Earth Two." Subsequent Star Trek novels seized on this connection, with one suggesting that Miri was Earth itself, albeit from a different timeline, and another stating that the planet was one of several Earth duplicates created by the ancient Preservers.

Sigma Iotia II

Home to a 1920s gangster civilization.

• "A Piece Of The Action" (Season 2, Episode 17)

Season 2's "A Piece of the Action" sees the Enterprise travel to Sigma Iotia II, a planet located in the Beta Quadrant. Kirk and his colleagues discover that the planet's natives are living like 1920s gangsters from Earth, and they soon determine the cause of this deviation. A century prior, another Federation starship visited the planet, forever altering the course of Iotian history. The ship, Horizon, soon departed, but it left behind an item that changed everything.

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The primitive Iotians based their society on a book discarded by Horizon, namely Chicago Mobs of the Twenties . This served as a civilizational handbook, trapping the developing culture in a gangland quagmire. However, Kirk's intervention puts the planet back on the right path.

Offers A Moral Vietnam War Story

• "A Private Little War" (Season 2, Episode 19)

While The Original Series showed an interest in re-purposing ancient history to generate plots, the show didn't shy away from addressing more contemporary themes. In "A Private Little War," the Enterprise becomes involved in a proxy war on the planet Neural. The Klingon Empire is backing one faction on the planet by providing it with advanced weapons; Kirk must intervene to restore balance to the primitive planet.

While Neural lacks the reused sets and props that so often characterize a TOS parallel Earth episode, it serves as the basis for a clear parable about the Vietnam War. This engagement with allegory elevates the story above others in the sub-genre, as it draws on real-world politics rather than simple aesthetics.

Draws Inspiration From Greek Mythology

• "Elaan Of Troyius" (Season 3, Episode 13)

While little is clear about the planet Elas, the circumstances surrounding it and the neighboring world of Troyius are deeply rooted in Earth mythology. Troyius and Elas, both located in the Tellun system, are at war; only a diplomatic marriage between Elaan, an Elasian, and the ruler of Troyius has any hope of ending the conflict.

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While the Enterprise is assigned to assist with the marriage plans, the hotblooded nature of the Elasians complicates matters. They are a proud warrior race, recalling Earth civilizations like the Spartans, while the episode's title is a space-age twist on Helen of Troy, a figure from Ancient Greek poetry. However, the female Elasians have something that no human has ever possessed: tears that act as a powerful love potion. The Elasians may be rooted in classical antiquity , but they are not entirely derivative.

Reminiscent Of Nazi Germany

• "Patterns Of Force" (Season 2, Episode 21)

Seen in the "Patterns of Force" episode, the planet Ekos is modeled on the Nazi Germany of Earth's twentieth century . Originally a lawless pre-warp world, intervention by a Federation historian transformed the planet by introducing the Ekosians to the principles of National Socialism, somewhat naively believing that this would create an ordered society without any drawbacks.

By the time of the Enterprise's visit to Ekos, the planet has adopted a variety of Nazi iconography and practices. Thankfully, Kirk and Spock are able to remedy the situation on Ekos, hopefully ushering in a less genocidal system of government for the planet's population.

Showcases A Technologically Superior Ancient Rome

• "Bread And Circuses" (Season 2, Episode 25)

"Bread and Circuses" not only finds a way to incorporate the fashions of Ancient Rome into Star Trek 's future but also skewers contemporary network TV production with its televised gladiator battles. The episode features the Enterprise investigating 892-IV, a planet where Roman practices coexist with twentieth-century technology.

The Roman-style society on 892-IV is notable in that Kirk's intervention fails to significantly alter it. Rather than overthrowing the cruel model of government, Kirk and his fellow officers are only able to escape. However, a transmission detected by Uhura suggests the presence of a Christianity-adjacent movement on the planet. The Enterprise's crew concludes that, since the Rome of 892-IV so closely mirrors their own, it too will fall given time.

A Civilization That Adopts The Worst Aspects Of Humanity

• "Plato's Stepchildren" (Season 3, Episode 10)

Today, "Plato's Stepchildren" is best remembered for featuring what is widely (but incorrectly) referred to as television's first interracial kiss. However, the episode is also notable for how it reuses imagery from Ancient Greece in order to create the world of Platonius. This is understandable, as the alien Platonians admit to being heavily inspired by the teachings of Plato and Socrates .

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Unfortunately, Platonius and its citizens reproduce many of the worst features of Earth's history. They are cruel and petty, choosing to use their telekinetic powers to abuse those whom they consider inferior. Indeed, the Platonian's treatment of Kirk and his crew resulted in the British Broadcasting Corporation's refusal to air the episode on the grounds that it contained sadistic themes. Platonius may be modeled on Earth, but few of humanity's virtues are on display there.

A Civilization That Shares An Almost Identical History To Earth

• "The Omega Glory" (Season 2, Episode 23)

While "The Omega Glory" is widely regarded as being one of the worst episodes of The Original Series , it does introduce the notable world of Omega IV. The Enterprise's visit to the planet uncovers a conflict between the Kohms and the Yangs, a war that is being interfered in by a stranded Starfleet captain.

It is revealed, somewhat implausibly, that Omega IV experienced a nearly parallel history to Earth, although the Cold War on Omega IV escalated into a full-blown conflict. The United States Constitution was also written independently on the planet in what must be Star Trek 's biggest-ever coincidence. With contrivances like these, it's a mercy that "The Omega Glory" was not chosen as Star Trek 's second pilot, although Gene Roddenberry did consider the idea.

Created by Gene Roddenberry

First Film Star Trek: The Motion Picture

First TV Show Star Trek: The Original Series

Creation Year 1966

Why Star Trek: Discovery Chose That Classic Next Gen Storyline To Explore In Its Final Season

Shields up! This article contains major spoilers for the season 5 premiere of "Star Trek: Discovery."

Who knew that "Star Trek: Discovery" would be saving its biggest reveal for last? After being responsible for kickstarting the new era of "Trek" on streaming , the fifth and final season is signaling the beginning of the end for the flagship series. But as fans would expect, the opening episode proves the writing team has no intentions of taking its final bow without crafting one last adventure worthy of Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green), Mr. Saru (Doug Jones), and the rest of the Discovery crew. (For more on that, you can check out /Film's "Discovery" season 5 premiere review by Jacob Hall here .) So perhaps it was inevitable that the biggest twist of the young season would have its roots in one of the most game-changing hours of "Trek" lore ever.

Trekkies will no doubt remember the classic "Next Generation" episode "The Chase," which first introduced the extinct race known as the Progenitors. Responsible for seeding humanoid life throughout the galaxy, these ancient beings were meant as an in-universe explanation for why almost every alien race encountered by Starfleet looked mostly like, well, ourselves ... give or take a few random ridges on foreheads and such. This also had the side effect of linking even the biggest enemies — humans, Romulans, Cardassians, and even Klingons alike — on a foundational genetic level.

"The Next Generation" mostly breezes past this revelation and reverts to business as usual in later episodes, despite the startling implications, so leave it to "Discovery" to pick up this major dangling thread and weave it into the fabric of this new season. At the season 5 world premiere, producer Michelle Paradise addressed why the show's creatives went back to this  storyline in particular.

'Huge ideas and huge themes'

How do you raise the stakes even higher than the time-traveling shenanigans of "Discovery" season 2, the mysterious dilithium "Burn" of season 3 that caused the breakdown of Starfleet, and the impossibly advanced species of extraterrestrials that put the entire galaxy at risk in season 4? Well, going all the way back to the origin of life as we know it is definitely one way to get the job done and end things with a bang.

It took until the closing moments of the season 5 premiere for the full picture (or part of it, at least) to round into shape, but what a twist it is! As it turns out, the pair of scavengers who absconded with an item of top priority to Starfleet couldn't have possibly picked a more important piece of "Trek" lore: the leftover Progenitor tech that helped them create humanoid life in the first place. So why tie things back to that underrated "The Next Generation" episode , of all things? At the SXSW premiere of "Discovery," producer Michelle Paradise had this to say:

"'The Chase' is an episode that had stuck with many of us because it addresses such huge ideas and huge themes. Where do we come from, the creation of life. And then it was this one episode, and then that was it [...] And it just left us with many, many questions."

That's putting it mildly. Even for a sci-fi franchise like "Star Trek," those are some incredibly heady ideas to attempt to tackle. It's one thing for a random episode in the early 1990s to suddenly establish such a massive change to canon. It's quite another for "Discovery" to double down. According to Paradise, however, this was done with character and theme in mind.

Tackling the big questions

Arguably more than any other ongoing series, "Discovery" has always worn its heart on its sleeve. That doesn't appear to be changing in season 5, but it's only fitting that the final adventure for this cast digs deeper into the psyches of the characters than it ever has before. The biggest question on the minds of the creative team, as it turns out, revolved around ideas of meaning and purpose for Burnham, Saru, and all the rest. According to Michelle Paradise, those are existential topics that translate naturally from the events of "The Chase," set hundreds and hundreds of years before the future timeline of this current season of "Discovery." She went on to say:

"And so when we were thinking about this season in particular and what we were going to be doing thematically and our characters looking at questions of meaning, questions of purpose. It felt like that was a really great place to go back to as a launching point for this adventure and that it was going to have that resonance."

For a crew that's been stranded in the future and cut off from everyone they used to know, these are poignant issues that previous seasons of "Discovery" have sought to explore. After having rebuilt Starfleet to something close to its former glory and putting the officers of the Discovery through the wringer, the rest of season 5 is now primed and ready to push these characters where they have never gone before.

New episodes of "Star Trek: Discovery" season 5 premiere on Paramount+ every Thursday.

• April 6, 2024 | ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Showrunner Explains Why They Reopened A TNG Mystery To Start Season 5
• April 5, 2024 | Roddenberry Archive Expands With Virtual Tours Of Deep Space 9 Station And The USS Discovery
• April 5, 2024 | Podcast: All Access Reviews The First Two Episodes Of ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Season 5
• April 4, 2024 | Recap/Review: ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Embraces Second Chances In “Under The Twin Moons”
• April 4, 2024 | Recap/Review: ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Returns With New Vitality And A Lore-Fueled Quest In “Red Directive”

‘Section 31’ Movie Director Says It’s A “Different” Star Trek + New Character Details Revealed

| April 1, 2024 | By: Anthony Pascale 48 comments so far

Last week we got some of the first details on the Star Trek: Section 31 streaming movie starring Michelle Yeoh, including the first image. We now have some commentary from the director as well as some detail on that first image, specifically the new character it features.

Director talks Section 31

Star Trek: Section 31 is being directed by Olatunde Osunsanmi who is also the producing director for Star Trek: Discovery . Over the weekend he attended a Wondercon screening of Discovery’s season 5 premiere (which he also directed) and during the follow-up panel discussion, he talked briefly about Section 31 .

The movie brings back Michelle Yeoh, who appeared in the first three seasons of Discovery . Her last episode (“Terra Firma, Part 2”) was shot in late 2019 and since that time she has appeared in several TV series and films, including her Oscar-winning role in Everything Everywhere All at Once . Osunsanmi talked about her returning to her Star Trek role of Emperor Georgiou for Section 31 , which began filming earlier this year:

“Michelle came in that very first scene that we shot and she just – it was like she had never left. It was incredible. Actually, that was literally what I told her, “Wow, it feels like we just stopped filming with you yesterday.” And so you know what happens in that very first scene is – oh wait, I can’t give that away. [laughs]”

Michelle Paradise and Olatunde Osunsanmi at Wondercon 2024 (TrekMovie)

Yeoh has described it as “ Mission: Impossible in space,” and likened the tone to the Guardians of the Galaxy movies. In the Variety piece last week, Section 31 screenwriter said “It was always my goal to deliver an entertaining experience that is true to the universe but appeals to newcomers. I wanted a low barrier of entry so that anybody could enjoy it.”  At Wondercon Osunsanmi also talked about how Section 31 fit in with other Trek shows and movies:

“All these Treks are a little bit different. This one is definitely different, but it’s still Trek and we just finished shooting just a week and a half ago. And it is awesome.”

The official synopsis describes the movie: “Emperor Philippa Georgiou, joins a secret division of Starfleet tasked with protecting the United Federation of Planets and faces the sins of her past.” Georgiou joined Section 31 in the second season of Discovery , but apparently how the infamous organization is portrayed is one of the ways the movie will be different. Executive producer Alex Kurtzman tells Den of Geek Magazine in a new interview, that Section 31 in the new movie is “very different” than the one seen in Discovery season 2, adding “We’re not just repeating the thing that we did already.”

New character details

Last week’s Variety article had a first-look image which we shared here as well . It showed Michelle Yeoh whispering to an interesting-looking character who we could only see from behind. Paramount has now released that image to the press with some extra details in the official caption. We now know the character is named “Dada Noe” and he is played by Joe Pingue.

Michelle Yeoh as Georgiou and Joe Pingue as Dada Noe in Star Trek: Section 31 (Jan Thijs/Paramount+)

We still don’t have any details on who “Dada Noe” is. Canadian actor Joe Pingue was not one of the names officially announced with other members of the cast when Section 31 started filming in January. However, he did get a mention from another member of the cast announcing the end of shooting in March. Pingue has dozens of credits, primarily guest star roles including on The Expanse and Suits , as well as recurring roles in Orphan Black and Station Eleven . Pingue shared the above image on his Instagram with the following message:

Last week we wrapped filming #section31 I can’t begin to describe what a trip it was to play in the Star Trek universe. For now, enjoy this first official image which features the real deal @michelleyeoh_official and my uh….backside. More love and stories to come. What a cracking still!

Dada Noe is only the second named character for Section 31, in addition to Georgiou. Last week it was revealed that Kacey Rohl is playing a younger Rachel Garrett , who will eventually meet her fate as captain of the Enterprise-C (from TNG “Yesterday’s Enterprise.”) There are eight more members of the cast in unknown roles: Omari Hardwick, Sam Richardson, Sven Ruygrok, Humberly Gonzalez, Robert Kazinsky, James Hiroyuki Liao, Miku Martineau, and Augusto Bitter.

Waiting on release date

There still isn’t a release date or timeframe for when Section 31 will arrive on Paramount+. The fifth and final season of Discovery wraps up at the end of May. And we just learned season 3 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds  is confirmed to be arriving in 2025 . With production already complete on Section 31 , it could be it arrives ahead of season 3 of Strange New Worlds , possibly even by the end of this year.

The fifth season of the adult animated series Lower Decks is expected to arrive later this year on Paramount+. And the second season of Star Trek: Prodigy will be released this year on Netflix as well. The new YA-focused live-action Starfleet Academy series doesn’t start shooting until late summer and may not arrive until 2026 .

Keep up with news for the  Star Trek Universe at TrekMovie.com .

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Dada Noe is a very Star Wars sounding name! Can’t wait for this movie, love Michelle Yeoh. Such charisma. I know a lot of people hate her character and call her “space hitler” but to me she was the best part of Discovery and the show suffered when she left.

I know a few people in real life with the name Noe.

Sounds like a Bond villain to me!

I’m very down for her. Yeah, I don’t like the character, but let’s see how it goes as a launch point. I think this might be good fodder for the campy style that they went with in the Mirror Universe.

Sounds like Data Node. Lol

I’m cautiously optimistic about the movie and while we know very little everything we have heard so far has been a positive for me at least.

And I just read another interview about it from Kurtzman who made clear it won’t be the Section 31 from Discovery which sounds to me we’re getting the original, more underground and secret version again. If so that’s amazing news.

Agreed. It has to be better than their configuration.

Yeah. Given the timeframe, this puts things in the 24th century again, circa 2320 or thereabouts. It’s not canon, but Garrett is supposed to be born around 2300; we do know she became captain of the 1701-C at some point prior to 2344, when the C vanished into the temporal rift into the ‘bad’ alternate 2366.

So if we have a younger Garrett in the show who’s in her twenties, she would be a junior officer, maybe just recently graduated from the Academy. And Section 31 would again be the shadowy organization we later see in DS9.

I’d be okay if in this era they were less evil. That might be a nice change of pace…

Ricky loves the headline! “…It’s A “Different” Star Trek…” – one nobody asked for! DISCUSS!

Stop. CLOSED

Guardians of the Galaxy? Oh, yikes. That’s actually the wrong vibe for a Section 31 movie. Section 31 are not the good guys.

It’s definitely the wrong tone. It should not be a comedy.

People like to laugh though.

Everything is not so black and white. Section 31 are the not so bad guys if they’re fighting against the real bad guys at their level to protect the real good guys, aka the Federation. Sometimes you need to break the rules for the greater good… The end justifies the means, depending on the end and the means.

Do you get to take up arms against the Union if the Confederate states had as their main principle that black men should all be free men? Because such a stand is ethically right, doesn’t that transcend government or conventional ‘sides?’ (i’m just paraphrasing an exchange from THE ANDERSONVILLE TRIAL, but you get the idea.)

The justification for every atrocity committed by tinpot despots throughout history. Who gets to decide where to draw those lines, let alone who the real good and bad guys are? You?

I’ll pass, thanks.

Which is why I tempered my statement with “depending on the end and the means”. The problem is the “bad” guys do whatever they need to to achieve their nefarious ends. Their potential for harm is unimpeded. If the “good” guys are stuck in red tape before they do anything, the bad guys are going to get their ways. Rules are made to be broken isn’t a cliché for nothing. Again depends which rules and when. “Who gets to decide where to draw those lines, let alone who the real good and bad guys are?” I completely agree.

That jumped out at me too. Why can’t the tone be Star Trek instead of a completely different franchise?

100% agree with you Trellium G. I very much don’t like it when they describe or pitch a new Star Trek production by comparing to a different franchise that isn’t Star Trek.

It’s very disappointing when you come to find out that the original concept for Star Trek Picard’s second season or the original script by Bob Orci for the third (Kelvinverse/JJ Abrams) Star Trek movie were rejected because they were “too Star Trekkie.” Can someone remind the people in charge that this IS Star Trek and not something else.

If someone wants to make Guardians of the Galaxy, then call up Disney and Marvel Studios and pitch them your idea for a new Guardians of the Galaxy movie.

As a general rule of thumb, Star Trek shouldn’t try to be something else that isn’t. Star Trek should be Star Trek. Inspiration can be drawn from great literary works or classic WWII films such as “Run Silent, Run Deep,” but Star Trek should not be copying or mimicking other franchises.

Hopefully Section 31 will be inspired or similar to Guardians of the Galaxy but not necessarily mimicking aspects of it, like we’ve seen the writers on Discovery, Picard, and even Strange New Worlds mimic other franchises.

ST has been apeing ‘star wars’ with the movies for years

“ I very much don’t like it when they describe or pitch a new Star Trek production by comparing to a different franchise that isn’t Star Trek. ”

In fairness, though, that’s not endemic to Star Trek. It’s been how Hollywood works since decades before Star Trek existed. At pitch meetings, writers will often describe new concepts in terms of other franchises. “It’s Murder She Wrote meets The Fugitive.” “It’s Indiana Jones, but with a Casablanca motif.” And so on. Heck, even Star Trek was sold to the networks with the phrase “It’s Wagon Train to the stars.” TV shows are created, pitched, and marketed by how similar they are to other shows. That has always happened and it will always happen. I have no issue with that since I see it all the time at work. What I ***do*** have an issue with is when the comparisons make no sense, as with Section 31 and the Guardians of the Galaxy. That just means the people involved don’t understand the property they’re writing.

The whole “Guardians Of The Galaxy” reference is meant to appeal to Guardian movie fans, nothing more. They want eyeballs in front of this film, period.

As much as I agree with this, that ship has sailed.

GoTG was about a bunch of outlaws and killers

Sounds pretty cool to me.

But does it sound like Star Trek?

People actually liked Guardians of the Galaxy. Don’t knock it.

When did I knock Guardians of the Galaxy? I didn’t.

Honestly? At this point it’s fine. What they did with it in Disco kind of ruined the mystery anyway, so just embrace it and let’s go have some fun.

I just hope it isn’t a “quippy” and “zippy” tone like every Marvel movie, where the characters are all sassy and sarcastic just for the sake of making the public laugh. Every time the writers at SH try to write quippy dialog, it’s just nauseating. Their jokes – not funny. “Yum yum” comes to mind.

Er… “new character details”? So… a name. For *one* character. And nothing else.

Looking forward to this – I’m still of the opinion that this is aimed squarely at the international market, so it’s natural for it to have a different look and feel. It’ll offend some sensibilities, they’ll just have to get over it.

As an international Trekkie I agree with this. This can be a possible gateway to the Asian market where Trek and even Star Wars are quite weak.

What exactly does “All these Treks are a little bit different. This one is definitely different, but it’s still Trek” mean? How is Section 31 different?

Does he mean different in the sense that the main cast are not members of Starfleet, or different is some other way, such as tone, pacing, and style? Star Trek: Prodigy’s first season, albeit intentionally aimed at younger audiences, was not based around a Starfleet crew.

I wonder why these current show runners feel the need to make all of these “different” Treks, instead of simply making just making good old-fashion Star Trek, like they’ve achieved with Strange New Worlds? Discovery and Picard (especially the first season of Picard) both felt so dark and unfamiliar to the Star Trek I grew up enjoying in the 90s and early 2000s. At first, I was not interested in a Section 31 series or movie, but the announcement that Kacey Rohl is playing a younger Rachel Garrett honestly has been intrigued.

I’ve always loved the Enterprise-C, Captain Garrett, and Lt. Richard Castillo, so anything that sheds a bit more light into the backstory of Captain Garrett definitely peeks my interest. I hope Section 31 won’t be too “different” and be a well-written enjoyable film. The fact that it will be a movie rather than tv series, has me hopeful that the story will be tight and well-paced rather than dragged out like Star Trek: Picard’s first two seasons were.

I agree that it’s annoying that every new creative direction the franchise takes is supposed to be “different” in the sense of trying to compare it to existing franchises. But in rare praise I’m about to give for Secret Hideout, I think they were right to do Discovery as this dark, action heavy, serialized show. The problem is that it wasn’t good, and the writing was terrible and the characters insufferable. I think if they had made good, interesting characters, good stories, like Battlestar Galactica, we would all be lauding it for updating the Trek formula for modern audiences. Instead we got schlock. At the same time, I don’t see why they would make five identical shows either, so yes, I think their approach is right to make different kinds of shows. I just wish at least one of them was good Star Trek like we all knew and loved.

I think Discovery was hampered somewhat by all the behind the scenes drama after Fuller left in season one. They were stuck with the creative decisions he made and had to make the best of it.

As for the complaints about every new creative direction being ‘different’ I see that as a positive. Would you prefer they just kept making all of the same type of show?

I love Michelle Yeoh, but I just have a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of some sort of redemption arc for a character that pretty much made Darth Vader and Hitler look like boy scouts when it came to death count. Yeoh’s great performance aside, the character was written to comic book levels of evil in the beginning of the mirror universe storyline to make her a believable protaganist. And for the record, I was also always bothered with the redemption arc of Vader, the guy murdered billions but he gets to still go to Jedi Heaven because he tossed Palpatine down a giant shaft. Anyways, some of what is coming out of this production (bringing Rachel Garrett back e.g.) has me interested, so I wish nothing but the best for this production and look forward to seeing how they navigate Georgiou’s development.

Mirror universe Spock also got ‘red on his ledger’ but was redeemed as someone who could turn the Terran empire around.

I am fine with the idea of a redemption arc. Play it up as nature vs nurture and seed it over a long period of time where she starts to thaw but still has an edge – they did it with Seven, that’s a perfect template. Have her realize the merit of empathy and compassion and Starfleet values and form friendships beyond Burnham.

They did none of that. They had her act like she never wanted to be there, antagonize everyone, fixate on Burnham because she reminded her of hers, and then suddenly at the end she is redeemed and getting hugged because she can’t stay in the Prime Universe so far in the future. They practically gaslit the audience by saying she was on a redemption arc this whole time. Through sheer force of talent, Yeoh pulls off a lot in her last two episodes, but none of it was set up properly. All the time they wasted on her needling people or goofing off with Linus for some reason etc. Emperor Georgiou is Exhibit A when discussing how Discovery was muddling its way through things.

I always felt that for Vaders redemption, he was only redeemed in Luke’s eyes and not for the entire galaxy. Plus killing a tyrant emperor who is probably responsible for much more deaths than Vader should count for something.

We certainly need a different Star Trek. The same old Trek is pretty boring and will not generate new and younger fans. Thank goodness for Discovery, it made me a Trek fan again.

I saw TMP at 5 or 6 years old and that was what made me a lifelong fan. That movie got me interested in TOS and then every show and movie that followed until the current version of Trek happened. I mean, I’m still a Star Trek fan, but the newer stuff seems like it is trying to be everything except Star Trek. Just my opinion.

I hope this is good. I love Michelle Yeoh. The one thing that’s encouraging is that it’s not intersecting with eras previously explored. Does this mean we get the monster maroons???

While I’m looking forward to this, I’m tiring of the “this is an [even more!] different Trek.” Arguably, the two most successful Kurtzman-era Trek productions, Picard Season 3 and Strange New Worlds, have returned in large part to proven formulas that bring old fans back en masse while attracting new fans (as evidenced by my 13 and 12-year old boys).

Why do different?

I think this in large part of Academy, the Trek show no one asked for, while there’s a literal campaign to do Legacy. Trek leads say it’s all about the fans while ignoring, in large part, what the fans want.

Some fans seem to think they can turn these shows around at the snap of a finger. That once an idea is trending they should just drop what they are doing and chase that instead. Academy was simply further along in development and made it to production. Maybe being able to reuse some of the sets from Discovery also makes it cheaper. The main barrier to a Legacy show right now seems to be Paramount and their financial difficulties.

My guess would be Thanksgiving 2024 for its release. (Unless Yellowstone is ready first.)

I hope that I will enjoy this. I was not a big fan of Emperor Georgiou or the writers making Section 31 into a mainstream part of Starfleet Intelligence. Also, please don’t have Garrett or anyone else know of her fate on the Enterprise-C.