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

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

10. Romulan Commander

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

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

9. Philippa Georgiou

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

8. Elizabeth Shelby

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

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

7. Deanna Troi

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

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

6. Michael Burnham

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

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

5. Beverly Crusher

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

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

4. Seven of Nine

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

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

3. Nyota Uhura

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

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

2. Number One / Una Chin-Riley

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

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

1. Kathryn Janeway

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

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

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

Mariette Hartley

Series: TOS

Character(s): Zarabeth

Mariette Hartley is the Emmy Award-winning actress who portrayed Zarabeth in the Star Trek: The Original Series third season episode “All Our Yesterdays”.

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Published Mar 8, 2023

10 Women in Command Who Paved the Way for Kathryn Janeway

Women lead the way in Star Trek long before Janeway took the captain's chair.

Headshots of some of the women commanding officers that paved the way for Captain Janeway

StarTrek.com

Star Trek has long been thought of forward-thinking when it comes to representations of women in positions of power and authority — even before the addition of the trailblazer Captain Kathryn Janeway .

Let’s explore ten representations of women leadership over the first 30 years of the franchise’s history that, for good and ill, paved the way for the 1995 debut of Kate Mulgrew’s intrepid captain.

Number One (Majel Barrett, 1964)

When Star Trek ’s pilot, “ The Cage ,” was first pitched to television executives, Captain Christopher Pike had a woman first officer, known only as “ Number One .” Execs loved the concept of Star Trek , but found the woman first officer not believable. The series was retooled around the Kirk-Spock-McCoy triumvirate and “The Cage” was not shared with the public until the late eighties.

Number One spoke without a whispery, ultra-feminine voice like those adopted by other women characters. Pike granted her “honorary man” status when he said he doesn’t like women on the Bridge, “except for you, Number One.” She was left in charge of the Enterprise while Pike beamed down to Talos IV because “the most experienced officer” was needed on the Bridge. Perhaps, most notably, when Pike was taken captive by the Talosians, we saw all the men in the briefing room look to Number One for a decision about how to approach the situation.

The Romulan Commander (Joanne Linville, 1968)

When a seemingly-unstable Captain Kirk takes the Enterprise into the Neutral Zone (“ The Enterprise Incident ,” Star Trek : The Original Series), he and Spock are taken prisoner by a Romulan woman Commander. When we first meet her, she’s fully clothed and visibly older (Linville was 30 at the time) than Kirk’s standard alien babes. Her primary goal seems to be the career win of delivering the Enterprise into Romulan hands, and she initially works to build solidarity with Spock to that end on the basis of shared identity rather than seduction.

Unfortunately, the possibility of getting through an entire episode without turning a woman into a romantic conquest for one of the male leads eluded TOS writers, which is why we ended up with the camera soft-focusing on her face as “the soldier transforms herself into a woman” and whispers her true name into Spock’s ear. When we last see her, she is dressed to the nines and professionally humiliated on the Bridge of the Enterprise . Nevertheless, she made this list as the high water mark in terms of women leadership on The Original Series as it originally aired.

Commander Beverly Crusher, Medical Doctor (Gates McFadden, 1987)

On The Next Generation , the original intention was to have a woman in charge of security, but after Denise Crosby left the show prematurely and her character, Tasha Yar, was killed off, we were left with the two remaining women in positions of caregiving and nurturance.

In later seasons, writers solved this by actually addressing the fact that Dr. Crusher carried the same rank as William Riker and gave her more to do. Crusher brought pluck, initiative, and grace under pressure to every stint she pulled on the Bridge, whether she was stretching herself with the occasional night shift (“ Thine Own Self ”), running the Enterprise solo when an anomaly swallowed her whole (“ Remember Me ”), or fighting off the Borg (“ Descent ”). Which is why it makes total sense that Captain Beverly Picard (she kept the name) of the Federation medical ship Pasteur would call her ex-husband Jean-Luc out after he questioned her orders on the Bridge of her ship (“ All Good Things ”).

Commander Deanna Troi, Mental Health Counselor (Marina Sirtis, 1987)

The first time we saw Troi in command on The Next Generation , it’s because she happened to be the most senior officer left alive on the Bridge after the Enterprise hit a quantum filament (“ Disaster ”) and every ship’s system was severely damaged. Overwhelmed and unprepared at first, she found her footing and realized that she likes being in charge.

After returning from a class reunion, Troi caught Crusher finishing up a night shift on the Bridge and they talked about Crusher’s affinity for command. This combination of experiences catalyzed her own desire to take the Bridge Officer’s exam (“ Thine Own Self "). She ran into some trouble with the Engineering qualification, which she originally believed to be about schematics and technical knowledge, but eventually realized that command is about being able to put the ship ahead of personal feelings. She earned her commander’s pips by ordering a hologram of her friend, Chief Engineer Geordi LaForge, to his death to save the ship.

Captain Rachel Garrett (Tricia O'Neil, 1990)

We met Garrett when her ship, the Enterprise -C, came through a rift in the space-time continuum in the middle of a battle with the Romulans and changed The Next Generation timeline (“ Yesterday’s Enterprise ”). Even badly injured, Garrett refused to leave the Bridge of her ship before getting answers about the well-being of her crew and the state of the battle.

Garrett wasn’t very fleshed out as a character. Nevertheless, her determination, self-sacrifice, and dedication to her ship earned her a pointed moment of respect from Captain Picard; a symbolic acknowledgement of character traits that would later be present in abundance when producers finally pulled out the big chair for Janeway.

Commander Elizabeth Shelby (Elizabeth Dennehy, 1991)

“Damn, you’re ambitious, Shelby .” Acting-Captain Riker’s words to the hotshot young commander were emblematic of her core character trait (“ The Best of Both Worlds ”). Shelby knew she deserved to be in charge thanks to her extraordinary competence, knowledge of the Borg, and grace under pressure. Her mentor, Admiral Hanson, admired her for her skill and energy, but also admitted to Picard that she featured in a gross “old man’s fantasies.”

This latter statement exemplified a thread that ran through the presentation of multiple women in positions of command, including Janeway herself — the writers had to find a way to remind the viewer that the character was still a woman, no matter how many pips were on her collar. In this case, they did it by making Shelby the object of her mentor’s lust.

Admiral Alynna Nechayev (Natalia Nogulich, 1992)

The counterpoint to Satie in every way, Nechayev is all steady, flinty competence. She was originally written to be “dark skinned,” which would have been terrific, but then ultra-blonde Nogulich was offered the part and the rest is history. We first met Nechayev when she came aboard the Enterprise in The Next Generation to take Picard’s command away from him (“ Chain of Command ”). Her lack of concern with being liked continued when she dressed Picard down for not committing genocide against the Borg (“ Descent ”). The writers eventually softened her relationship with Picard (as always, reminding us that she’s a woman after all) when he replicated her favorite canapés and she admitted that they’re “extremely fattening” (“ Journey’s End ,” “ Preemptive Strike ”).

Nevertheless, she continued to nettle the men under her command. Her relationship with Captain Sisko on Deep Space Nine was famously testy because, in his mind, her perspective was too Federation-centric, which made her ignorant of the realities faced by those living on the edges of Cardassian space (“ The Maquis ”).

Colonel Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor, 1993)

It takes a special kind of person to pivot from guerilla resistance fighter to able politician, but Kira Nerys proved up to the challenge. At first unsure of herself in her new post-Cardassian occupation role on Deep Space 9 (“ Emissary ,” “ Past Prologue "), Kira matures into an able stateswoman (“ The Homecoming ,” “ The Circle ,” “ The Siege ”).

Another notable feature of Kira’s character is that we see her in multiple romantic relationships throughout the course of the series, but she is never defined or subsumed by these partnerships (“ Life Support ,” “ Shakaar ,” “ His Way ”).

Her passion and sometimes single-minded commitment to Bajoran independence and Cardassian accountability for the occupation lead her down dangerous paths on more than one occasion (“Past Prologue,” “ Duet ,” “ Second Skin ”) but by the end of the series, Kira comes come full circle by aiding her Cardassian former enemies as they struggle to retake their homeworld from the Dominion (“ What You Leave Behind ”).

Captain Kasidy Yates (Penny Johnson Jerald, 1995)

Penny Johnson Jerald as Kassidy Yates Sisko

Yates was not technically introduced until a few months after Voyager premiered, but her inception paralleled Janeway’s and it was more important to have at least one Black woman on this list than to quibble over a few months’ difference in airdates.

Reserved and rigorously self-sufficient, Yates’ non-Starfleet status gave the writers an opportunity to afford her moral ambiguities they never would have given to a woman captain otherwise. She collaborated with the Maquis rebellion by using her freighter to deliver food and medical supplies to them in the Badlands and spent six months in a Federation penal colony (“ For the Cause ”).

Yates and Captain Sisko bonded over a shared love of baseball (“ Family Business ,” “ Take Me Out to the Holosuite ”) and, after dating for several seasons, decide to marry despite a warning from the Prophets that they would experience great sorrow if they chose to tie their lives together (“ Til Death Do Us Part ”).

Being the wife of the Emissary was not easy for Yates. She was livid after Sisko called in a favor from the Bajoran Freight and Shipping Authority to have her sidelined as the Dominion War escalated (“ The Changing Face of Evil ”). Yates set Sisko straight in a hurry and went back to work; but she was thrown by the fact that many of her Bajoran crew — people she had known for years — suddenly asked her for spiritual guidance now that she was married to the Emissary (“ Strange Bedfellows ”).

When last we saw Yates, she was left behind as a pregnant newlywed, comforting Jake Sisko as they both grieved Captain Sisko’s sudden departure to be with the Prophets. We never did find out whether her husband came back into her life, but we do know that she prospered as the owner-operator of Kasidy Yates Interstellar Freights (“ Remembrance ,” Picard ).

Honorable Mentions

Kai winn adami (louise fletcher, 1994).

What would Deep Space Nine have been without a conniving, ambitious, hypocritical foil to the Emissary? Winn became Kai more out of political savvy than spiritual leadership (“ The Collaborator ”). The Prophets rejected her and she rejected them in turn (“ Strange Bedfellows ,” “ What You Leave Behind ”). She abused her power, murdered her assistant, and had sex with her mortal enemy before using him as a sacrificial lamb. Her only redeeming act was her final one, when she gave Sisko the knowledge he needed to defeat a re-animated Dukat before she was consumed by flames.

The Female Changeling (Salome Jens, 1994)

One might imagine that gender would be constructed in a non-binary fashion among a species where form is mutable; but being a creature of the nineties and having only two options, this particular Changeling chose to be a woman in her humanoid form on Deep Space Nine (“ The Search "). As to her performance of gender? She was a villain and therefore producers didn’t care about making her likable. This allowed her to be vindictive, genocidal, and bent on fighting her war on the Alpha Quadrant down to the last man — that is until an Odo-ex-machina cured her of the Section 31 disease and convinced her to surrender and stand trial for her crimes in exchange for his promise to return to the Great Link (“ What You Leave Behind ”).

Lieutenant Natasha Yar (Denise Crosby, 1987)

Yar was in charge of the Enterprise ’s entire Security department, but since we only got her for 23 episodes, we didn’t really have a chance to see her explore her position of authority or the complications of command in the same way we did with Troi and Crusher in the later seasons of The Next Generation .

The Admirals

Shanthi . Hayes. Blackwell . We only saw them in passing viewscreen conversations or heard them referenced in conversation, but the implication was clear that there were women leaders all over the Federation just not in the setting we were watching.

It is interesting to note that, while we learn that Uhura was eventually promoted to the role of Admiral, we never saw her issue orders or make command decisions. It is also interesting to note that, when last we saw her, Janeway herself had become an admiral, seen briefly on Picard’s ready room viewer when she orders the Enterprise to Romulus in Star Trek: Nemesis .

This article was originally published on June 18, 2020.

Tae Phoenix (she/her) is a singer-songwriter, culture jammer, and community organizer from Seattle, WA. Her hobbies include obsessing over Star Trek and yelling at drivers to get out of the bike lane. You can find her at @taephoenix almost anywhere your personal data is being sold or at taephoenix.com.

Stay tuned to StarTrek.com for more details! And be sure to follow @StarTrek on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram .

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Meet the women of Star Trek: Picard

Credit: Matt Kennedy/CBS

Star Trek: Picard is one of the most anticipated series of 2020, and for good reason: It brings back a fan-favorite character in an entirely new situation. Jean-Luc Picard is no longer in Starfleet, and it's clear that his parting wasn't exactly amicable. He's on his own, on a new mission (the circumstances of which are quite unclear), but without the resources he once had.

Like any Star Trek show, Picard has an amazing supporting cast — and there are quite a few incredible women on the roster. (As an aside, I've seen the first three episodes, and there are quite a few more women than are listed here, but won't be spoiling anything for anxious viewers.)

Here's what we know about the major female characters in advance of tomorrow's premiere.

Isa Briones as Dahj in Star Trek: Picard

Credit: James Dimmock/CBS

Dahj (Isa Briones)

Dahj, played by Isa Briones (who was Peggy Schuyler in the touring production of Hamilton and was the understudy for Eliza), might be the biggest mystery of Star Trek: Picard . The little we know about her tells us she’s a vulnerable young woman in some kind of serious trouble — but also, judging from the trailer, she has pretty incredible abilities. Speculation is that she’s somehow tied to the Borg, considering the cast list, or Data, because Brent Spiner is guest-starring in the show. Who (and what) Dahj is will likely play a central role in the series.

Alison Pill as Agnes Jurati in Star Trek: Picard

Dr. Agnes Jurati (Alison Pill)

We're not quite sure what role Dr. Jurati will play in Star Trek: Picard , but she’s been described as a doctor who has the same goals as Jean-Luc. Pill is a fantastic actor who has quite a few shows under her belt, and it will be interesting to see how she handles the technobabble (it's not clear whether she's a medical doctor or a scientist). Either way, it’s safe to say she’ll fit in perfectly with this dynamic, brilliant cast.

Michelle Hurd as Raffi Musiker in Star Trek: Picard

Raffi Musiker (Michelle Hurd)

Hurd is a television icon, so it’s incredibly exciting that she’s bringing her exceptional talent to the Star Trek universe. She plays Raffi Musiker, someone who worked with Picard in his post- The Next Generation , post- Nemesis days. Hurd teased in an interview that Raffi is "haunted," and promotional material has described her as an addict. It will be very interesting to see how Raffi fits into the larger story, and what kind of pain she’s trying to mask with her vices.

Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine in Star Trek: Picard

Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan)

We last saw Seven of Nine, the former Borg, in the series finale of Star Trek: Voyager . Over 20 years later, what is she up to? And why is Picard, who hasn’t previously met her onscreen, looking Seven up now? We don’t know the answers to these questions — Seven has clearly embraced a more human (and dare we say badass) look in the previews. But we don’t know what she’s been doing, though the inclusion of Jonathan del Arco as Hugh in the cast lets us know that Picard has a Borg connection. In an interview, Jeri Ryan made it clear that she’s not even allowed to say whether Seven still goes by her Borg designation or has chosen a new name. There’s quite a bit of mystery surrounding her appearance in the show, but given what an amazing character she is, it’s safe to say we’re excited for it.

Credit: Gregg DeGuire / FilmMagic / Getty

Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis)

At the end of Star Trek: Nemesis , Deanna Troi was leaving the Enterprise, as her new husband, William Riker, had finally accepted a command of his own. Now, two decades later, they both seem to be enjoying retirement (and raising their children!). It seems as though they have opted for a simpler life, but it isn't clear how that came about. Did they decide to retire to start a family, or were they involved in the situation that led to Picard leaving Starfleet? Only time will tell!

Credit: Matt Kennedy / CBS

Laris (Orla Brady)

Laris is a brand-new Romulan character (she could also be Vulcan based on appearances, but judging from the fact that Laris laughs in the clip we've seen and that the storyline seems to concern the Romulans, I feel safe making this judgment call). She and Zhaban, who appears to be Laris' partner, seem to be companions or helpers for Picard on his French vineyard.

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Star Trek: A History of Female Starfleet Captains on TV

As Star Trek: Discovery readies for production, we look back at the franchise's varied history of women Starfleet commanders...

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Star Trek: Discovery launches this Sunday, continuing on the tradition of depicting women in high-power roles. Not only will Sonequa Martin-Green star as the show’s main character, First Officer Michael Burnham, but Michelle Yeoh will be appearing as Captain Georgiou.

As we head into Star Trek’s next era, let’s take a look back at its history — the good, the bad, and the ugly — of representing women in positions of power. Here are the woman who have either held the rank of Captain or who have commanded a starship on screen in the Star Trek universe.

Star Trek has always had the best of intentions when it comes to its portrayal of female characters, even when the attitudes of the times (such as the studio’s request for the removal of Majel Barrett’s female Number One following the original pilot episode) or sheer circumstance (Denise Crosby leaving The Next Generation , resulting in a regular cast made up of five men and only two women, both in broadly care-giving roles) have been against it.

Unfortunately, the first instance of a woman taking command of a starship on screen was, shall we say, not good. In fact, it was very, very bad. Awful. No amount of excusing it on the grounds of it being the 1960s can possibly make up for the portrayal of Dr. Janice Lester in what was, sadly, the last episode of The Original Series broadcast during its original television run.

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Granted, she was supposed to be insane when she swapped bodies with Captain Kirk so that she could command a starship, but the problems with her command are clearly indicated in the dialogue to be at least partly due to her gender, and the nature of her “insanity,” largely expressed in excessive emotion and what Doctor McCoy refers to outright as “hysteria,” a word that comes from the ancient Greek word for “womb,” clearly relates her inability to command to her femininity.

Kirk finishes the series by lamenting that “her life could have been as rich as any woman’s” — but not, apparently, as rich as any man’s.

Fortunately, the next on screen portrayal of a woman in command of a starship is more positive, and it is perhaps not a coincidence that it occurs in The Animated Series , which was executive produced by a woman, D. C. Fontana. The episode “The Lorelai Signal” itself is, it has to be said, not much less sexist than “Turnabout Intruder,” focusing on a race of space sirens who call to and then drain the life force from men (no word on whether homosexual female crew members are affected because it’s still only 1973 and the show will not yet acknowledge their existence).

With the men trapped in a future episode of Red Dwarf , Lt. Uhura, the highest-ranking female on the ship, takes command. The story may be ridiculous and the situation tied up in ideas about gender and sex that literally go back to ancient Greece, but it’s a rather wonderful moment all the same. Uhura’s look to the side as she takes command, while constrained by the cheap animation, is rather fabulous.

The five characters to lead a Star Trek series so far have been three white heterosexual men, one black heterosexual man, and one white heterosexual woman, carefully allowing only one deviation from “white heterosexual man” at a time, but the franchise has been more willing to embrace diversity in its minor characters.

The first female captain we see on screen is, like Uhura, a woman of color, the unnamed captain of the starship Saratoga in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home . Her appearance now, along with the also non-white Captain of the starship Yorktown, seems almost routine, but at the time it was still unusual to see a woman of color (or a man of color, for that matter) portrayed in such a position, and demonstrated a clear commitment to Star Trek ’s ideals on the part of the production.

As time moved on, and Star Trek: The Next Generation went into production in the late 1980s and early 1990s, we started to see women of higher rank more often. Interestingly, several early examples bear the rank of Captain or Admiral, but are rarely seen actually commanding starships; Picard’s old flame, for example, Captain Phillipa Louvois, commands the Judge Advocate General office in “The Measure Of A Man.”

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It’s a shame we never got to see more of Lt Commander Shelby’s career on screen beyond “The Best Of Both Worlds,” as this character really showed how far things had progressed since Janice Lester in 1969; a female officer openly aiming to become a starship captain, who is perfectly capable and whose story could just as easily have featured a male officer, because none of her characterization (beyond a tiny bit of perving on her from an older officer that she has no control over) is tied to her gender.

The Next Generation introduced the only example so far of a woman bearing the rank of Captain who has been assigned to command a starship named Enterprise; Captain Rachel Garrett, Captain of the Enterprise-C, seen in “Yesterday’s Enterprise,” a tough and likeable character who we actually get to see in action as a starship commander.

Garrett’s actions and choices, unbeknownst to her, saved the Federation and the Klingons from years of warfare, and she is on her way to repeating the feat when she’s unfortunately spiked in the head in the line of duty. Like Shelby, Garrett’s character and story have nothing to do with her gender, and we finally get to see a woman command the Enterprise without requiring dire circumstances to gain the position.

The series also provided opportunities for both its remaining regular female characters to take command. Captain Beverley Picard (formerly Crusher) commands the starship Pasteur in an alternate future in the series finale “All Good Things,” but the really interesting example is Lt. Commander Deanna Troi’s brief stint in command of the Enterprise in “Disaster.”

Troi is manifestly unprepared for this responsibility, not because she is a woman, but because she is a counselor and unused to making life or death decisions, despite her high rank, though she manages to rise to the occasion in the end.

The writing carefully ensures, unlike “Turnabout Intruder,” that none of this can be attributed to femininity by giving the emotional, please-save-everyone argument (the McCoy argument) to the male Chief O’Brien, whose wife and almost-born child are trapped in the other part of the ship, while the cold, logical, cut-our-losses argument (the Spock argument) is put forward by the female, battle-scarred Ensign Ro.

When The Next Generation ended, we finally got a chance to see a Star Trek series headed by a woman, as Captain Kathryn Janeway commanded the starship Voyager for seven years of television.

Millions of bad jokes about the only female starship captain getting lost, complaints about inconsistent characterisation and her almost Kirk-like ability to do diplomacy by flirting cannot take away the fact that any time we see an alternate future featuring a “Captain Chakotay,” we know something is very wrong (Janeway’s reappearance among the living in the backwards episode “Before And After” is a great moment).

Meanwhile, Deep Space Nine , running throughout the end of The Next Generation and the beginning of Voyager , semi-regularly featured female guest captains, as well as having Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax command the starship Defiant.

Back in “Turnabout Intruder,” Janice Lester had told Kirk: “Your world of starship captains doesn’t admit women,” implying that in the progressive, far-flung future of the 23rd century, women were barred from this position until at least the time of Star Trek IV .

Luckily, of course, Enterprise has since corrected this impression, leaving fans to assume that Lester was referring to a glass ceiling rather than a concrete ban, one which could be borne out by the lack of any other female starship captains seen on screen during that time (or, of course, they choose to ignore the episode all together, probably wisely).

Like Janice Lester and Phillipa Louvois, Captain Erika Hernandez is an old flame of the current male lead/Captain of the Enterprise, but she seems to have survived Archer dumping her due to a conflict of interest following his promotion and represents a very rare thing indeed – a recurring female Captain (she only appears in three episodes, but that’s more than most of the female Captains on this list, barring Janeway).

From a rough beginning, then, Star Trek has produced an interesting and varied collection of female Captains and women in command of starships, though to date they are still vastly outnumbered by their male colleagues.

Here’s hoping that the new commanding officers we see in Star Trek: Discovery will be as tough as Garrett, as ambitious as Shelby, as likeable as Jadzia and as interestingly flawed as Janeway.

Star Trek: Discovery premieres this Sunday, September 24th on CBS and CBS All-Access.

Read and download the full Den of Geek SDCC Special Edition magazine here!

Juliette Harrisson | @ClassicalJG

Juliette Harrisson is a writer and historian, and a lifelong Trekkie whose childhood heroes were JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis. She runs a YouTube channel called…

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47 Badass Women of Star Trek

The Beat is celebrating Women’s History Month with some of Trek’s most badass women.

To celebrate Women’s History Month here at Stately Beat Manor, we’ve put together a list of 47 badass women of Star Trek!

This list is nowhere near exhaustive. Did we miss your favorite? Let us know! The Beat is waiting to hear from you, right here in the comment section or over on social media @comicsbeat .

Nyota Uhura (Nichelle Nichols & Celia Rose Gooding)

When the first episode of Star Trek: The Original Series first aired, communications officer Nyota Uhura was there on the bridge! A key player in all three seasons of TOS , Uhura continued to make an impression on the bridge of the Enterprise in the sequel series, Star Trek: The Animated Series . In fact, TAS even allowed Uhura to take command of the Enterprise in one episode!

Uhura also appeared in all 6 of the TOS cast movies. And in Star Trek: Picard season 2, background details revealed she became a Starfleet Captain, commanding the first ship on which Jean-Luc Picard ( Patrick Stewart ) served. On Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , Gooding gives us a look of Uhura’s early days on the Enterprise .

Lwaxana Troi (Majel Barrett-Roddenberry)

Originally making her debut on Star Trek: The Next Generation , Lwaxana may have managed to top these memorable appearances when she heavily flirted with the rule-abiding shapeshifter Odo ( René Auberjonois ) on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . Regrettably, Barrett-Roddenberry died before the debut of Star Trek: Lower Decks , a venue that would have provided an incredible stage for Lwaxana.

“My mother’s joy came from bringing Lwaxana Troi to life because they didn’t write that character for her, but that was her being herself. She wouldn’t let anyone put her in her place. She was over the top, and she was flamboyant. When push came to shove, she would shove back,” said Rod Roddenberry about his mother’s favorite role in the Star Trek franchise in an interview with Geek Girl Authority .

Vice Admiral Janeway (Kate Mulgrew)

On Star Trek: Voyager , Captain Kathryn Janeway gave us our first leading lady commander. Over the course of all seven seasons, Janeway fearlessly guided her wayward crew back to Earth from the Delta Quadrant. Meanwhile, she consumed a lot of coffee and conducted experiments that revolutionized many areas of Starfleet science upon Voy ’s return.

A few years after the conclusion of Voyager , on Star Trek: Prodigy , two different versions of Janeway play key roles. While the Emergency Training Hologram Janeway guides the young crew of the USS Protostar , Vice Admiral Janeway plays a game of cat-and-mouse with the misunderstood crew.

Michael Burnam (Sonequa Martin-Green)

Burnham didn’t start in the center chair on Star Trek: Discovery , and since the start of the series, we’ve seen her under the command of Captains that span the competence spectrum. Fortunately, that’s all behind us now, as a leap to the far-flung future at the outset of season 3 has allowed Captain Burnham to take her rightful place at the top of Disco ’s chain of command.

Time and again, Burnham demonstrates her competent leadership in matters personal and professional. Equally impressive is Martin-Green’s work on the series behind the camera, which earned her a producer credit for the show’s fourth season.

Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan)

After being rescued from the Borg on Voyager , Seven was integrated into the Voy crew under the tutelage and guidance of Captain Janeway. After returning to the Alpha Quadrant with the crew, Seven attempted to join Starfleet, but was rejected. She instead became a defender of the innocent by joining the Fenris Rangers.

On Picard , Seven’s ongoing involvement with Admiral Picard’s adventures led to her successful conscription into Starfleet. As the First Officer aboard the USS Titan-A in Picard season 3, Seven plays an important role during a crucial mission.

D’Vana Tendi (Noël Wells)

As one of the first Orion ever to enlist in Starfleet, Tendi is truly going boldly where no one has gone before! Orion slave girls were originally introduced in the original pilot of TOS. While other Orion women have appeared in Star Trek shows since then, Tendi represents a major step forward in the depiction of the alien species.

In Lower Decks season 3, Tendi begins to accept her Orion heritage and her career gets fast-tracked due to her ongoing Science Officer training. And thanks to a holodeck movie, she can finally see herself in the role of Captain for the first time. Tendi is both the dreamer and the dream. She deserves all the pesto she can eat!

Hoshi Sato (Linda Park)

On the bridge of the NX-01 Enterprise on Star Trek: Enterprise , Hoshi serves an important role in humanity’s fledging steps into the stars. As linguist, her role is fundamental to the communications abilities of the crew under Captain Jonathan Archer ( Scott Bakula ).

In the Mirror Universe, Hoshi also plays an important role. After murdering Mirror Archer, she becomes the first Terran Emperor. In the opening pages of Star Trek: Discovery: Die Standing by John Jackson Miller , Emperor Sato is quoted: “I started as an educator. The lesson I teach today: it takes only one Terran to turn reality upside down, and change the future…”

Nurse Christine Chapel (Majel Barrett-Roddenberry & Jess Bush)

First appearing in 1966’s TOS episode “The Naked Time,” Gene Roddenberry snuck his wife Majel on to the CBS set in a blonde wig and cast her as the badass essential worker of the Enterprise, Nurse Chapel. Before she spent time pining over Science Officer Spock ( Leonard Nimoy ) and bandaging up a whiney Captain James T. Kirk ( William Shatner ), Chapel earned several advanced degrees to become a bio-researcher.

Did I mention she’s queer AF? By the time Star Trek: The Motion Picture rolls around, she’s not only queer AF, but she’s also a queer AF doctor.

T’Pol (Jolene Blalock)

As the first Vulcan to serve aboard a starship helmed by humans, T’Pol had to put up with a lot—especially that human odor. Once she got used to the smell, T’Pol’s time with the hoo-mans proved invaluable, and she learned to stand up for herself even when it went against the wishes of the High Command. While falling in love and making babies certainly doesn’t make you great, boldly going to home base with Chief Engineer Trip Tucker is a story for the herstory books!

Una Chin-Riley (Majel Barrett-Roddenberry & Rebecca Romijin)

Una, or simply “Number One,” first appeared in the original TOS pilot. However, her part was cut from the series. Barrett-Roddenberry was subsequently recast, both as the aforementioned Nurse Chapel and the Enterprise computer. Later, on TAS , she also played the original Caitian, communications officer M’Ress.

Meanwhile, SNW is finally giving Una the chance for further development. Over the course of the first season, we learned that Una is a genetic augment. This means she’s barred from Starfleet service, and has enlisted under false pretenses. Just how this engaging ongoing storyline plays out remains to be seen, and the character’s absence during TOS lends tension to the dangling plot thread.

Captain Carol Freeman (Dawnn Lewis)

As the Captain of a California-class ship, Freeman doesn’t always get the respect that she’s earned. However, that never stops her from fully committing to performing her duties as a Starfleet officer. This includes when she’s facing sarcastic Vulcan salutes from her daughter and dealing with one of those Starfleet Badmirals that seem to show up so often.

Time and again, Freeman proves that the support ships are just as important to the continued operation of the Federation as any flagship could be. And besides, the Cerritos is kind of like the Enterprise of the Cali-class. Cerritos strong!

Philipa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh)

Georgiou Prime was a decorated Starfleet Captain in her own right. However, she dies early on in the series. We get a much better chance to get to know Mirror Georgiou over the course of the character’s multi-season role on Discovery .

After being dragged into our universe, the sharp-tongued and shockingly intelligent Mirror Georgiou winds up joining the secret Starfleet division Section 31. While the character is currently MIA after stepping through the Guardian of Forever, the Star Trek: Section 31 spinoff starring Mirror Georgiou reportedly remains in development.

Dr. Gillian Taylor (Catherine Hicks)

In Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home , Dr. Taylor is a whale biologist who works for the Cetacean Institute in Sausalito, California in 1986. She plays an important role in ensuring humpback whales George and Gracie are able to travel back to the future at the climax of the movie.

Once she arrives in the future, it appears as though Taylor makes a splash herself. In Lower Decks , the logo for the Cetacean Ops division aboard the Cerritos borrows heavily from the 1980s logo for the Cetacean Institute. This heavily implies that Taylor’s work plays an important role in the development of this popular field of study.

Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor)

Nerys can go toe-to-toe with anyone: Cardassian prison warden and fascist despot Gul Dukat, fellow rage-fueled Bajoran freedom fighter Lieutenant Shax, and even a pansexual Mirror Universe version of herself.

On Lower Decks , it is revealed that in the wake of Captain Benjamin Sisko ( Avery Brooks ) becoming a wormhole alien god, Nerys took over as commander of Deep Space 9.

Jadzia Dax & Ezri Dax (Terry Farrell & Nicole de Boer)

Jadzia and Ezri are the two Trill hosts of the Dax symbiote who play an important role in the events of DS9 . In events that took place before the series, a former male host of the symbiote was good friends with Captain Sisko. This adds an extra dimension to the relationship between Jadzia and Sisko, who affectionately refers to her as “old man.”

Regrettably, Jadzia is murdered by the despicable Gul Dukat in the penultimate season of DS9 . However, this does give the opportunity for us to meet Ezri, who proves to offer a hitherto unseen perspective on the proceedings that take place on the space station.

Rok-Tahk (Rylee Alazraqui)

As the youngest Federation crew member on this list, Rok-Tahk, a refugee from Brikar, is a genius with a pension for all of the scientific disciplines and a heart of gold. Every planet that Rok-Tahk visits proves that she’ll do anything for creatures great and small, even risk her life.

Read Rebecca Oliver Kaplan’s interview with Alazraqui here .

Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis)

While Picard may keep his Number One close at hand, he keeps his counselor, Troi, equally close. Over the course of TNG , this proves to be the best possible decision, as Troi’s insight regularly proves invaluable in the conflicts faced by the Enterprise-D .

In spite of serving on a Federation ship, Troi rarely wears a regulation Starfleet uniform. However, this sartorial decision demonstrates that the flagship’s counselor is beyond competent, whether she’s wearing a Starfleet uniform or not!

Gwyndala (Ella Purnell)

A genetic clone created by her father, The Diviner ( John Noble ), Gwyn was literally designed to unite her people, the Vau N’Akat. Over the course of Star Trek: Prodigy ’s first season, Gwyn found her way to her purpose, a complex journey that is still in progress.

Just how Gwyn will play into future seasons remains to be seen. Nevertheless, as an initial antagonist who became part of the core crew of the Protostar, Gwyn carries on and embodies some of the most important themes from Janeway’s former crew aboard Voy.

Doctor T’Ana (Gillian Vigman)

When she was first introduced on Lower Decks , T’Ana could be considered “a cat in a coat,” as Ensign Fletcher unfavorably dubs her. However as the character has revealed more of herself to audiences, she has become a fan favorite.

Part of her undeniable appeal comes from her passionate romance with Bajorian beefcake Shax. Better yet, while T’Ana is an undeniably sexual character, she’s never subjected to the male gaze. When it comes to T’Ana, the gaze subjects you.

B’Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson)

There aren’t very many role models if you’re a women with suicidal ideation , especially in STEM. As a former Federation foe and Maquis Resistance fighter, when the Maquis ship that Torres was stationed on and Voyager get stranded in the Delta Quadrant, she must adapt to Starfleet rules and regulations after she’s named Chief Engineer.

It’s not an easy journey for the Klingon-Human engineer—in fact, she almost commits suicide before the starship finds its way back to Earth—but in the end, she discovers a will to live and the strength within herself to keep fighting against impossible odds.

Oh, and she’ll always have Tom Paris.

Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman)

Who’s hot for teacher? Every single cadet whose had the pleasure of having Professor Tilly. Not only is Professor Tilly a science genius who programmed the food replicator to produce only spumoni ice cream by calculating the exact protein concentration and small particle dispersion of emulsifiers required, but she also knows how to whip out her survival training skills at the drop of a shuttle. In the 32nd century, she saves several cadets when a training mission goes south.

Me Hani Ika Hali Po (Yadira Guevara-Prip)

Thanks to Tilly’s spumoni ice cream, Po, Queen of Xahea, saves galaxies. That may be putting their storyline simply, but Tilly and Po are proof positive of the power of female friendships. With a mother who encouraged her to be extraordinary and brother who taught her science, Po eventually develops a dilithium incubator that enables recrystalization of the mineral, making her world the most politically-relevant planet in the Alpha Quadrant. Luckily, thanks to the Queen’s relationship with Tilly, Po and Xahea remain safe.

Jett Reno (Tig Notaro)

Reno crashed on a planet with the rest of her crew. As the ship’s only surviving crew member, she had to put all of her skills as an engineer to work to survive until the Disco rescued her. A few seasons later, she saved the day with licorice—yes, licorice—and her finely honed wit.

La’An Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong)

The descendant of Khan Noonien Singh, one of Star Trek ‘s most notorious villains, La’An showed that she’s more than in her genes in the first season of SNW . Hopefully, La’An will be writing a ‘How to Slay the Gorn’ manual sometime in the future.

Read Avery Kaplan’s interview with Chong here .

Doctor Agnes Jurati (Alison Pill)

A cyberneticist at the Daystrom Institute who becomes wrapped up in Picard’s misadventures in the first and second seasons of Picard , Jurati eventually merges with an alternate-timeline Borg Queen ( Annie Wersching ). After performing a show-stealing rendition of “Shadows of the Night,” the mind-merged duo goes on to become the first member of a new kind of Borg: the Jurati Collective.

The Jurati Collective is currently guarding a massive tear in space-time that tore open in the season premiere and finale of Picard ’s second season. While she does not appear in Picard ’s third season, we’ll hopefully hear more from this intriguing new evolution of Jurati soon.

Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome)

While she may not be a fan of protocol, Mariner is still Starfleet through and through! As the self-appointed boss of Beta Shift, Mariner sometimes instigates chaos in the name of “building character.” But at the end of the day, nothing’s more important to her than her family, chosen or biological.

Over the course of the third season of Lower Decks, Mariner was in a relationship with Jen the Andorian ( Lauren Lapkus ). However, it’s unclear if this coupling will recur in season 4. Plus, we’re looking forward to seeing how Mariner mixes with new Cerritos arrival T’Lyn ( Gabrielle Ruiz ).

President Laira Rillak (Chelah Horsdal)

Rillak is a politician who was elected president of the Federation of Planets in 3190. While in this position, she faced a sweeping tragedy that challenged her leadership: the advent of the Dark Matter Anomaly. Fortunately, Rillak is a strong and competent leader who helps keep the Federation together during this difficult interval. At the conclusion of the season, she and Captain Burnham welcome Earth back into the Federation.

Doctor Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden)

Originally introduced in the first episode of TNG , Crusher was absent during the second season of the series. This is because she left to become the head of Starfleet Medical! The incredibly gifted M.D. returned to the Enterprise-D in the third season and played a key role in many of the adventures undertaken by that ship and its predecessor, the Enterprise-E .

T’Pring (Arlene Martel, Gia Sandhu & Ethan Peck)

Over the course of the first season of SNW , T’Pring has played an important role in multiple episodes. In one of them, “Spock Amok,” she even temporarily switched bodies with her betrothed and was thus obligated to reluctantly engage in hijinks.

In the TOS episode “Amok Time,” T’Pring executes her right to kal-if-fee in order to break her engagement to Spock, preferring another mate, Stonn. No need to feel bad for Spock, however. He returned to the Enterprise with his boyfriend, Kirk.

Raffi Musiker (Michelle Hurd)

Happy Birthday, Raffi! It’s not easy to get clean. It’s especially not easy to get clean in the 25th century, in which designer drugs are tailored to be even more addictive using an ophthalmic drug delivery system, a particularly nasty way to get high that has an added risk of addiction. With drugs designed to each junkie’s taste so that repeat customers don’t turn to another dealer, it’s hard for any 21st and 25th century addict to turn over a new leaf.

Using today’s understanding of substance abuse, rates of addiction are higher in the LGBTQIA+ community because of the political, social, and cultural pressure of being queer in America. This makes Star Trek: Picard’s decision to tell a story of addiction and recovery with a Black bisexual woman extremely relevant to today.

T’Veen (Stephanie Czajkowski)

T’Veen is the science officer aboard the Titan-A in Picard season 3. The character is part Vulcan and one-quarter Deltan. Deltans are a species first introduced in TMP , and they are renowned for their sensuality. This ensures an intriguing character combination when combined with the repressive nature of most Vulcans.

Laris (Orla Brady)

Laris is more than the woman who told Picard that he wasn’t worth her waiting around until he got his shit together. She is also a good cook and housekeeper, great Chateau Picard head of security, and excellent former Tal Shiar intelligence officer. As a member of the Romulan intelligence agency, which is known for its ruthless efficiency, Laris would have been responsible for reporting to the highest levels of government and military. Now, she uses her hard-earned Tal Shiar skills to help Picard and Starfleet.

Captain Sonya Gomez (Lycia Naff)

When we first met Gomez on TNG , she was an Ensign who spilled a considerable amount of hot chocolate on Captain Picard. But when she reappears on Lower Decks , Gomez has not only ranked all the way up to Captain herself, she’s in command of the impressive USS Archimedes , an Obena-class ship.

But lest you think success has gone to Gomez’s head, never fear. In “First First Contact,” she even allows Freeman to conduct First Contact with the Laaperians. “No ego on that one,” remarks an intoxicated Freeman after the event.

Lily Sloane (Alfre Woodard)

Anyone who can tell Captain Picard to shut up using a Moby Dick reference is a queen. Also, 2064 appears to be as lily-white as 2023, which comes as no surprise as it’s only a couple of decades after Star Trek ‘s Bell Riots. It’s a safe bet to assume that Lily’s indignance towards cis white men is deeply ingrained following years of negative experiences.

Renée Picard (Penelope Mitchell)

Doctor Picard is the single thread holding together Star Trek ‘s utopian vision of the future. She was already a trauma survivor by age ten, having survived the capsizing of her sailboat of the coast of Martha’s Vineyard. By age 11, this girl genius had taught herself Cantonese, chess, and fluid dynamics. Her passions led her to a career as a test pilot, and from there, she was recruited by NASA to save the Milky Way Galaxy (and our timeline) with a microorganism found on the Europa Mission.

Saavik (Kristie Alley & Robin Curtis)

Saavik was first introduced in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan . In that movie, she became the first person to be seen taking the infamous “Kobayashi Maru” onscreen. She played an important role in the resurrection of the titular Spock in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock . She later became the Captain of the first Titan , a fact that is commemorated by a shuttlecraft bearing her name aboard the Titan-A in Picard season 3.

Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg & Ito Aghayere)

Guinan is the long-(long-)time proprietor of the bar Ten Forward, which has been located in various places, including Los Angeles and aboard the Enterprise-D . She tends bar, and she listens. She is a survivor of the Borg’s assimilation of her species.

Guinan is an invaluable advisor to Picard, and friend to Ensign Ro. Part of her will always be present inside the Nexus due to an event that took place in the first scenes of Star Trek: Generations . Also, she used to hang out with Samuel Clemens.

T’Rina (Tara Rosling)

T’Rina serves as the President of Ni’Var in the late thirty-second century. She must advocate for the interests of her people during a complicated time in the history of the galaxy, and ultimately leads her world to reenter the Federation. Furthermore, her mind-melding abilities are an integral step towards the ultimate successful First Contact with Species 10-C.

Demora Sulu (Jacqueline Kim)

Demora first appeared in Generations , where she was an ensign serving as helmsman aboard the maiden voyage of the Enterprise-B . She is the daughter of the legendary helmsman Hikaru Sulu ( George Takei ). According to many prose stories and Star Trek Online canon, Demora would later go on to become Captain of the B .

Chancellor L’Rell (Mary Chieffo)

Klingons, the warrior race, aren’t exactly known for how they treat their women, but that doesn’t mean that several Klingon women haven’t risen to power on Qo’nos. One of the Klingon women who stands out the most in the planet’s rich history is L’Rell, who united the Klingon houses and was responsible for ending the Federation-Klingon War. Although, like many women in power, Mother L’Rell had to subscribe to a certain aesthetic to maintain her control, but she did it in feminine Elizabethian royal attire.

To learn more, watch the epic Klingon anthem from STO , “ Steel and Flame ,” written by Jason Charles Miller and performed by L’Rell (Chieffo), which describes the Chancellor’s return and rise to power within the Klingon empire.

Grilka (Mary Kay Adams)

Grilka lives life full tilt, even bucking Klingon tradition to marry a Ferengi. When Quark claimed that he killed Grilka’s husband Kozak, she forced the barkeep to marry her so that she could retain control of her house. Thus, the House of Kozak became the House of Grilka, and feminists everywhere cheered.

While L’Rell may have been born centuries before Grilka, Chieffo’s interpretation of the Klingon Chancellor was inspired by Adams’ performance in DS9 . In an interview with GGA , Chieffo said, “My favorite forever will be Grilka. […] It was a moment of, ‘Oh, it’s still a patriarchal society.’ […] L’Rell had to rise to power, ultimately to Chancellor, which is far more than Grilka got to do, but I’m glad I got to reap some of the benefits of the path she paved.”

Leeta (Chase Masterson)

A dabo girl, and the OG sexy nerd. Leeta played ignorant before Paris Hilton made it cool. The Bajoran has led more than one rebellion. Not only did she work with the Terran Resistance Forces on Terok Nor, but she also teamed up with the rest of the Quark’s Bar staff to create a labor union.

Erica Ortegas (Melissa Navia)

Ortegas is the helmsman on the Enterprise under the command of Captain Christopher Pike ( Anson Mount ). In addition to her impressive piloting skills, Ortegas is the only one with the hair and wit to match Pike’s generous allotment of each asset.

In the SNW episode “The Elysian Kingdom,” Ortegas carries on one a proud Enterprise helmsman tradition: swashbuckling. Touché, Ortegas!

Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes)

When Ro first joined the crew of the Enterprise-D on TNG , she didn’t exactly face a warm welcome. Nevertheless, Ro managed to earn the respect of the rest of the crew, thanks in part to her friendship with Guinan. However, Ro was never willing to compromise her beliefs in order to fit in. For one thing, she ensured Picard would allow her to bend Starfleet uniform code so she could wear her traditional Bajoran earring.

Ro empathized with the Maquis, and ultimately defected from Starfleet in order to join their ranks. While Ro had initially been considered for DS9 , when Forbes declined the offer, she made way for the creation of Kira.

Professor Keiko O’Brien (Rosalind Chao)

She turned a meat eater into a plant lover, and that is only the beginning of her list of achievements. Born in Japan, Keiko is a galaxy-class civilian botanist onboard the Enterprise-D and an elementary school teacher on Deep Space 9. In addition, a Pah-Wraith only possessed her once—in your face, Dukat.

Zora (Sash Striga & Annabelle Wallis)

Zora is the first of her kind, a fully sentient Starfleet vessel. When a Starfleet doctor tells the crew of the Discovery to evaluate Zora to see if her fully integrated sentient programming is against Starfleet regulation, the AI eloquently argues for her right to exist, saying, “I am attached to [my form] as you are to yours.”

Watch Season 4, Episode 7, “…But to Connect,” to see more Zora (and trans allegory at its finest).

Ensign Kearns (Kari Wahlgren)

An ensign aboard the Cali-class USS Carlsbad , Kearns is so skilled at her duties, she even impresses Ensign Mariner. While Beta Shift initially assumes that she thinks she’s too good for them, they later discover she is actually intimidated by the impressive reputation earned by the Cerritos.

Star Trek: The Next Generation - Full Cast & Crew

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21 Things About Star Trek That Fans Hesitate to Acknowledge

Posted: April 27, 2024 | Last updated: April 27, 2024

<span>Since its first episode aired in 1966, Star Trek has captivated and delighted audiences for generations. From comedic Klingons to purple planets, the epic series has always inspired and provoked the imaginations of its fans, both young and old. </span><span>A trailblazer of its time, especially in the early days, Star Trek was accredited with pushing many boundaries around gender, race, and equality, which is all positive. </span> <span>However, some questionable aspects of this legendary franchise might have us wanting to shout, “Beam me up, Scotty,” before we would like to admit them. </span>

Star Trek Reused the Same Sets Often

There were some sexist vibes.

<span>Suppose we skip to the present-day installments of Star Trek. In that case, we can see more sexual and gender equality with same-sex relationship storylines, gender-fluid characters, and equal power-sharing amongst male and female crew members.</span> <span>Furthermore, </span><a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12327578/" rel="noopener"><span>the current TV series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds</span></a><span> features Dr.Aspen, a non-binary humanitarian aid worker played by Keitel, a trans, non-binary actor. </span> <span>So, just as the current Star Trek series reflects the values and culture of our time, we must appreciate that earlier series were reflective of these components within their time (even if it is light years away from 2024). </span>

Star Trek Was Forced to Move With the Times

<span>Whether you had a thing for Seven of Nine or wanted to be assimilated into the Borg, not many have escaped feeling attracted to an unearthly being from Star Trek. </span> <span>We’ve all witnessed Captain Kirk, Picard, and other crew members hook up with humanoid aliens on the show, so why should we be immune from the allure of an ethereal Star Trek alien? </span>

We’ve All Fancied an Alien on Star Trek at Some Point in Our Lives

<span>The Deep Space Nine (DS9) series, which aired between 1994 and 1999, holds a special place in many people’s hearts. It featured some of Star Trek’s most legendary characters, such as Worf, played by Michael Don, and Quark, played by Armin Shimerman. </span> <span>This series was notably darker and more thought-provoking than any other Star Trek series, but it has been criticized for being too dramatic and appearing more like a soap opera in space. </span>

Drama in Deep Space Nine’

<span>In 1995, Captain Janeway took over our screens as the first female lead of </span><a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0112178/" rel="noopener"><span>Star Trek Voyager, boldly going</span></a><span> where no man (or woman) had gone before.</span> <span>There was a massive backlash from fans and the media about the audacity of having a female Captain in Star Trek and how it wouldn’t work.</span> <span>Somehow, in 2024, it feels hard to believe such a narrative existed, but sadly, it did. </span>

Star Trek Voyager Criticized for Having a Female Captain

<span>It’s no secret that some of Star Trek’s storylines have been dubious, politically incorrect, and, at other times, extremely cringy to watch. </span> <span>Retrospect, S4, Ep 17 has been heavily criticized for its portrayal of a female rape victim and how her accusations and credibility were undermined.</span> <span>In the episode, Seven of Nine accuses Kovin of violating her, but her claims aren’t taken seriously. Kovin disappears without explanation, and Seven’s reliability as a witness and victim is questioned. </span>

The Story Lines Weren’t Always Great

<span>From dodgy prosthetics to fake foreheads and people painted green, sometimes the make-up and costume departments severely missed the mark, and it’s okay to admit that some of the </span><a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://screenrant.com/star-trek-outfits-costumes-best-worst/" rel="noopener"><span>costumes on Star Trek</span></a><span> were not great. </span>

Some of the Costumes Were Not Good

<span>It’s okay to admit that Captain Jean-Luc Picard was your favorite (mine was, too). Apologies if he’s not your favorite, but may I ask why not? </span> <span>The fact is that Picard and </span><a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092455/" rel="noopener"><span>Star Trek: The Next Generation</span></a><span> did just that. They defined the next generation of Trekkies, who have never quite overcome his stepping down.</span> <span>Patrick Stewart brought something special to the role, and his series had a great cast, including legendary characters like Data, Deanna Troi, Worf, and Geordi.</span> <span>This combination of actors created truly irreplaceable on-screen chemistry that was, arguably, never replicated again in the show. </span>

We Want Captain Picard Back

<span>Would you believe that there have been thirteen Star Trek movies? </span> <span>If you have any Trekkie blood in your veins, you will have seen at least some of them, but the consensus amongst true Star Trekkies is that the TV series trumps any movie that has ever been made. </span> <span>Many cite swearing allegiance to the traditional TV show format, while others resent Hollywood’s commercialization of the sacred franchise.</span> <span>If we do have to pick the best Star Trek movie, though, it has to be Star Trek, filmed in 2009, with Chris Pine as the lead actor. The film managed to score well with fans, new and old alike, and it still holds a </span><a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/guide/star-trek-movies-ranked/" rel="noopener"><span>94% meter rating </span></a><span>with Rotten Tomatoes. </span>

Most Fans Preferred the TV Series to the Movies

<span>As you may already know, Klingon is a real language. There is an actual Klingon Institute where you can learn to speak it fluently. </span>

We Have all Tried to Speak Klingon

<span>Whether it’s the idea of traveling at the speed of light across vast galaxies, visiting different worlds with alien species, or being able to vaporize and transport across time and space, sometimes the concepts and ideas in Star Trek can get a little trippy. </span> <span>Although we might not like to admit it, at some point, most of us have felt a little scared or provoked by some of the themes raised in Star Trek storylines. </span> <span>The show forced us to contemplate the possibility of alternate realities, and we could be forgiven for feeling a little existential after watching Star Trek, as it confronts us with the possibility that we are not alone. </span>

Sometimes, Star Trek Was Scary

<span>Whether it was cool or not to admit it, we all loved the Star Trek theme tune of Our Time. </span> <span>Whether it was Deep Space Nine, Star Trek Voyager, or The Next Generation, once we heard that famous theme tune music come on, Star Trekkie mode ACTIVATED. </span>

The Theme Tune Was Awesome

<span>That’s right. Gene Roddenberry, the original creator of Star Trek, wrote the very first series with a woman as Captain Kirk’s Number One on deck (she was called Number One), played by Majel Barrett (Barrett eventually went on to marry Roddenberry).</span> <span>However, test audiences reportedly did not like her character. They rejected the idea of a woman being in charge, with many calling her character </span><a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.wilsonquarterly.com/quarterly/_/star-treks-underappreciated-feminist-history" rel="noopener"><span>pushy,</span></a><span> so the idea was soon dropped. </span>

Star Trek’s Original First Officer Was a Woman

<span>“Live Long, and Prosper” – Vulcan Greeting.</span> <span>I don’t care what age you are; we have all impersonated Spock at some point. </span> <span>With his pointy ears and dry, emotionless demeanor, we’ve all been caught trying to sound or look like the legendary character played by Leonard Nimoy.</span>

Spock Impressions

<span>The </span><a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Universal_translator" rel="noopener"><span>Universal Translator</span></a><span> used in Star Trek now exists, and you can wear earphones that will translate what someone else says in any other language into your own. </span> <span>Furthermore, scientists constantly make new claims that align with the Star Trek Universe. For example, NASA now asserts that time travel is possible, and astrophysicists have discovered that what they thought they knew about the Universe is seemingly no longer true. </span> <span>Discoveries like The Fifth Force of Nature, Dark Matter, and Dark Energy have some of us thinking differently about the make-believe fantasy of Star Trek, as we now witness many discoveries within our World and Universe. </span>

Some of the Tech from the Trek Has Already Become a Reality

<span>Unfortunately, Captain Kirk and Spock developed tinnitus after a loud explosion during filming. Tinnitus is a persistent ringing and buzzing in the ears that can be a truly debilitating condition for some. </span> <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.theaquarian.com/2016/01/27/getting-the-shatner-treatment-an-interview-with-william-shatner/" rel="noopener"><span>William Shatner </span></a><span>even became the official spokesperson for tinnitus at one point, which both actors struggled with, particularly Shatner. </span>

William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy Both Got Tinnitus

<span>It’s a gesture that all Trekkies know well, and I can guarantee that at some point, you’ve made Spock’s hand signal while saying, “Live Long and Prosper.”</span> <span>And while you’d be forgiven for thinking this was a made-up alien greeting devised solely for the show, you’d be wrong. It’s a hand gesture used by Orthodox Jews. It represents the word Shaddai, which means God, so it seems that Trekkies may have been blessing each other without knowing for decades.</span>

Spock’s Vulcan Salute is a Special Blessing in Hebrew

<span>That’s right. Star Trek wasn’t only good at reusing sets to save on the budget; it was known for reusing certain actors and reinventing them into new characters.</span> <span>Mark Lenard is famous for being the only actor ever to have played multiple alien species on Star Trek: a Klingon, a Romulan, and a Vulcan. </span> <span>In the original series’ first season, the actor played a Romulan Commander, but he returned a year later as Spock’s Vulcan father, Sarek. </span>

Star Trek Didn’t Only Recycle its Sets; It Also Recycled Actors

The Star Trek Brand Has Become Over-Commercialized

<span>When you think back to the TV shows of the past, it’s hard to believe that some of them ever got the green light. At the time, they were beloved, and they defined generations. But let’s face it – times have changed, and several of them wouldn’t even make it past the pitch meeting today. Let’s look at 18 great TV shows that, for various reasons, just wouldn’t fly today.</span>

18 Formerly Beloved TV Shows That Would Flunk the Political Correctness Test Today

<span>Over the past decade, cinema has completely changed, thanks in part to filmmakers daring enough to tackle issues head-on. These “woke movies” have led to conversations and controversy. For some, these movies represent everything wrong with today’s media landscape, while for others, they’re talking about things we need to address. No matter your opinion of them, here are 18 of the wokest films from the last decade.</span>

18 Films That Went Too Woke in the Last Decade

<p>We’ve all watched those movies where we ask ourselves, “What did I just watch? Did anything really happen?” Whether you find these movies meditative or meandering, they’ve got a special place in cinematic history. So, for all you guys who’ve ever zoned out during a film and wondered, “Was it just me?” here’s a list to make you feel seen.</p>

Empty Screens: 18 Movies Where Almost Nothing Really Happens

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10 best female marvel movie villains, ranked.

There aren't nearly as many female villains in Marvel movies as their male counterparts, but there are plenty of iconic examples to choose from.

Marvel's female villains make a lasting impact despite being fewer in number compared to male counterparts.
Female villains like Lady Deathstrike, Viper, and Proxima Midnight stand out for their formidable abilities and unique character designs.
Marvel's portrayal of sympathetic villains like Ghost and Dar-Benn adds depth to the MCU, showcasing complex motives and intriguing storylines.

Marvel Movie villains are almost as important as their heroic enemies, with some of the best being female characters. The modern age of Marvel movies is replete with iconic villains from Marvel Comics, though the first female arch-villain would not debut until 2017. That villain in particular would prove why it should never have taken so long for female villains to take center stage, though there are thankfully plenty of stand-out examples of secondary villains in the preceding years.

Marvel has a pretty good track record when it comes to portraying its female rogues' gallery, even if there should be more of them. While they number far fewer than their male counterparts, the mark many formidable female nemeses have left on the Marvel movie landscape warrants just as much recognition. The powerful Marvel villains on this list, meanwhile, pose a good argument for why there should be plenty more.

Every MCU Main Villain & Whether They're Alive, Dead, Or Unknown

10 lady deathstrike didn't need to say a word to, portrayed by kelly hu in x2 (2003), x2: x-men united.

William Stryker's bodyguard, Yuriko Oyama, was a fleeting highlight of X2, whose hauntingly memorable character design flouted the fact that she boasted such little screen time. Lady Deathstrike underwent similar experiments to Logan before Stryker injected her with Mind Control Serum, turning her into his personal bodyguard throughout the movie. This led to a direct run-in with Wolverine in one of the most memorable fight scenes in superhero movie history.

This fight scene, along with the fact that Deathstrike's adamantium finger-claws did all the talking, is largely what made Lady Deathstrike such an outstanding villain. Her appearance incites a visceral reaction , and the fact that she could capably stand up to Wolverine in an exceptionally cringe-inducing brawl shows how formidable she is. Even her death lingers as one of the most gruesome to befall a Marvel villain, with the image of liquid adamantium leaking from her skull being one of the most traumatizing images in superhero movies.

Lady Deathstrike is confirmed to be making a return in Deadpool & Wolverine in July after being spotted in recent trailer footage alongside other mutants from Fox's X-Men franchise.

9 Viper Is Formidably Spine-Chilling

Portrayed by svetlana khodchenkova in the wolverine (2013), the wolverine.

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Unlike the mind-controlled Deathstrike, Ophelia Sarkissian boasts more depth to her character. Her impressive power set is bolstered by her proficiency in biochemistry, for which she is hired as a personal oncologist to Ichirō Yashida rather than as a bodyguard solely. She is also responsible for putting Wolverine in far greater jeopardy after successfully shutting down his healing factor, adding to her strengths. What makes Viper such a stand-out villain, however, is her unique power set.

The mutant Viper is like the Spider-Woman of snakes, boasting snake-like dexterity, the ability to spit venom, and shed her skin to recover. The latter power is what bestows Viper with one of her most memorable moments as she tears a top layer of scaly skin from her body to expose unharmed skin beneath. Viper was unfortunately killed off in The Wolverine before she could be given the extra screen time she deserved.

8 Proxima Midnight Posed A Significant Threat To Earth's Mightiest Heroes

Portrayed by carrie coon and monique ganderton in avengers: infinity war (2018) and avengers: endgame (2019), avengers: infinity war.

The Black Order proved to be a genuine threat to the Avengers throughout the Infinity Saga's climax, with Proxima Midnight even giving Wanda Maximoff - one of the MCU's most powerful heroes - a run for her money as she and Corvus Glaive attacked Vision. Her proficiency in hand-to-hand combat with a particularly lethal spear in hand makes for some compelling action sequences as she tussles with various Avengers throughout the movie. In the end, her gruesome death at the hands of Scarlet Witch during the Battle of Wakanda also provided one of its more brilliant moments.

Midnight's character design is also an example of Marvel using its creative license when depicting live-action comic book characters correctly. Her horned head and pale orange eyes make her look demonic, removing all questions about her villainy. While Proxima Midnight was consigned to being a minor villain in the end, she and the Black Order were far more than simple fodder.

7 Ghost Is A Tragic Villain With A Compelling Plight

Portrayed by hannah john-kamen in ant-man and the wasp (2018), ant-man and the wasp.

Ava Starr is a prime example of Marvel's litany of sympathetic villains , with her run-in with Ant-Man and his cohorts being sparked by her fight for survival rather than some nefarious design. After exposure to the Quantum Realm, Ghost's molecular structure becomes imbalanced, slowly heralding her death. Ghost is more nuanced than most super-powered villains, largely because her power to become intangible is unwanted and terminal, making her goal to steal Hank Pym's tech for her survival hard to repudiate .

Ghost's abilities come with a host of memorable moments that include causing one of the MCU's most gruesome deaths as she crushes Agent Stoltz's heart in his chest. Ultimately, Ghost would be cured and sent on a path of redemption for her unscrupulous methods as she goes into hiding with Bill Foster. Her desperate measures will eventually land her in the lineup for the Thunderbolts, a team comprising similarly morally gray villains and antiheroes.

6 Dar-Benn Is Excellently Portrayed

Portrayed by zawe ashton in the marvels (2023), the marvels.

Dar-Benn is the latest MCU villain to join the ranks of those whose motives are kind of justified. The arch-villain of The Marvels is a Kree leader dealing with the fallout of Captain Marvel's decimation of the Supreme Intelligence on Hala in a retaliatory mission to take vital resources from other planets and replenish Hala's own, ending with the power of Earth's Sun. With the help of a Quantum Band, her plan comes dangerously close to fruition before she succumbs to the insurmountable power of two Quantum Bands , bringing about her own demise.

The fact that Dar-Benn, a Kree without any superpowers to speak of, successfully maneuvered her way into victory over one of the MCU's most powerful heroes is worthy of huge respect.

The fact that Dar-Benn, a Kree without any superpowers to speak of, successfully maneuvered her way into victory over one of the MCU's most powerful heroes is worthy of huge respect. Zawe Ashton's portrayal of Dar-Benn, meanwhile, as a zealous yet sympathetic warrior hellbent on the survival of her homeworld at any cost is also worthy of praise. Despite The Marvels failing to receive the attention it deserved , Dar-Benn should be remembered as an exceptionally shrewd Marvel villain inevitably undone by her own hubris rather than a super-powered superior.

5 Ayesha Is A Hilarious And Lovable Secondary Villain

Portrayed by elizabeth debicki in guardians of the galaxy vol. 2 (2017) and guardians of the galaxy vol. 3 (2023), guardians of the galaxy vol. 2.

Ayesha makes a lasting first impression as the ruler of the Sovereign thanks in no small part to her striking character design, boasting an all-gold color scheme indicative of her haughty persona. Her run-in with the Guardians is mostly out of retribution for a perceived slight against the Sovereign's pride, which would culminate in her humiliation at the hands of the infinitely more villainous High Evolutionary. In fact, Ayesha is a secondary villain in both her big screen appearances, but she is no less noteworthy than either arch-villain .

The Guardians trilogy are some of the MCU's funniest offerings , and Elizabeth Debicki's portrayal of a jumped-up queen who believes wholeheartedly in her race's superiority lends itself to this humor perfectly. As a recurring villain, she ultimately becomes one of the MCU's most sympathetic as she is belittled and eventually killed by the Sovereign's creator. Though she never posed any significant threat to the Guardians, she left a lasting impression as one of their most memorable adversaries.

4 Nebula Made An Indelible Mark On The MCU From The Jump

Portrayed by karen gillan in various mcu movies, guardians of the galaxy.

Nebula is now one of the MCU's central heroes, but began her long career in 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy as a villain. Here, she would be a repeated thorn in the side of the Guardians as they attempt to keep the Power Stone out of Ronan the Accuser's hands. She does, however, stop short of swearing unquestioned allegiance to any one figure, proving to be exceptionally resourceful in the pursuit of her own goals.

Nebula is another villain who is done justice by the actor that plays them, with Karen Gillan receiving widespread acclaim for her seething yet naive portrayal of Nebula. This led to plenty of hilarious and heartfelt moments throughout the MCU, especially alongside Tony Stark on Titan. She almost immediately warrants the benefit of the doubt as her torturous upbringing at the hands of Thanos goes some way to excusing her murderous pursuit of her sister before she is convinced to fight alongside the Guardians in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 , enlisting their help in her single-minded pursuit of revenge.

3 Mystique Is One Of X-Men's Most Enchanting Features

Portrayed by rebecca romijn in fox's x-men franchise.

Raven Darkhölme made her dynamic debut in Fox's X-Men franchise in a scene that perfectly encapsulated the sympathetic plight of Magneto's Brotherhood and her formidable power set. Mystique's falling in with the bad crowd was out of self-preservation and the welcome acceptance offered by Magneto and his team. This would culminate in a fate for Mystique tantamount to death as her mutant abilities - which are among the most powerful of the mutants - are inadvertently " cured " in X-Men: The Last Stand, leading to her being brutally abandoned by Magneto.

Rebecca Romjin's portrayal of the decidedly villainous Mystique preceded Jennifer Lawrence's more virtuous portrayal but was arguably the better casting choice in terms of comic accuracy.

Mystique, like Ayesha, has one of the most striking character designs in Marvel movie history , with the practical makeup taking more than six hours to apply - though it at least paid dividends. Rebecca Romjin's portrayal of the decidedly villainous Mystique preceded Jennifer Lawrence's more virtuous portrayal but was arguably the better casting choice in spite of the incomparable levels of star power. Though she had few lines in her " true " form, Romjin's lithe and bewitching characterization is one of the best and most faithful portrayals of a comic book character in cinematic history.

2 Scarlet Witch Has The Most Tragic Villain Arc

Portrayed by elizabeth olsen in various, doctor strange in the multiverse of madness.

Scarlet Witch is arguably the most tragic character in the whole of the MCU . Her tenure began and ended as a villain, though she became one of the most valuable additions to the Avengers in the intervening period. Both villainous arcs were spurred by loss , something which would become synonymous with Wanda Maximoff during her MCU career . By the time she seemingly dies at the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness , she has lost her parents, brother, partner, and children, making her villainous and Darkhold-imbued swansong all the more understandable.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was truly where Scarlet Witch came into her own as a true-blue (or red) villain. This was largely helped by Sam Raimi's proficiency with horror, leaning into the occultist nature of the movie's two stars, and Elizabeth Olsen's heartbreaking performance as a desperate yet corrupted Scarlet Witch. This was Scarlet Witch at her most powerful, putting the erstwhile Sorcerer Supreme through his paces as he dealt with a villain capable of wiping the floor with another universe's most powerful superheroes.

1 Hela Was The True Star Of The Show

Portrayed by cate blanchette in thor: ragnarok (2017), thor: ragnarok.

Hela exploded onto the scene in Thor: Ragnarok with a shocking demonstration of her power, leading to the effortless destruction of Mjolnir, one of the MCU's most powerful weapons. She would go on to seize control of Asgard by force, laying waste with little effort to any resistance before ultimately falling to fate itself (and Surtur's giant sword). Her arrival in the wake of Odin's death would spur Thor to reach new heights in his character growth as he fully embraced his role as Asgard's leader with some excruciating and selfless decisions.

Hela was Marvel's first female arch-villain nine years after the franchise debuted.

Hela's time on screen, however, was all too short, with everything from her snide and self-assured stage presence to her iconic character design leaving a permanent legacy of how Marvel villains should be done . Hela isn't just the best female villain in the MCU, but one of the best villains overall. It is highly unlikely that Hela will reappear in the future given the apparent nature of her fate, but her contribution to one of the MCU 's best movies should remain self-contained regardless.

Key Release Dates

Deadpool & wolverine, thunderbolts (2025), the fantastic four (2025), blade (2025), avengers: the kang dynasty, avengers: secret wars.

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The Women of Star Trek: Where They Started and Where They Are Now
Star Trek: Enterprise Jolene Blalock as Subcommander T"Pol
Top 10 Best Female Star Trek Characters
Star Trek: Every Female Captain (So Far)
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Star Trek (1966)

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Star Trek: Discovery (TV Series 2017-2024) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. ... See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Series Directed by . Olatunde Osunsanmi ... (14 episodes, 2017-2024) ... Female Shuttle Pilot (uncredited) 1 episode, 2017 ...
Star Trek's Strongest Female Leads, Ranked
Nichelle Nichols' performance as Uhura is one of the strongest female characters from the 1960s. When the series was rebooted with a new film franchise, the character was expanded thanks to Zoe Saldana's portrayal. She was in a romantic relationship with Mr. Spock and served in a more direct role as a member of Kirk's crew.
47 Badass Women of Star Trek
Uhura also appeared in all 6 of the TOS cast movies. And in Star Trek: Picard season 2, background details revealed she became a Starfleet Captain, commanding the first ship on which Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) served. On Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Gooding gives us a look of Uhura's early days on the Enterprise.
List of Star Trek characters
Female Changeling: Salome Jens: Seasons 3-4,6-7 (DS9) None Cardassia Prime: Leader ... Shared cast. Star Trek has an ongoing tradition of actors returning to reprise their roles in other spin-off series. In some instances, actors have portrayed potential ancestors, descendants, or relatives of characters they originated. ... List of Star ...
Beautiful Star Trek Women
Nana Visitor was born on July 26, 1957 in New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress, known for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993), Friday the 13th (2009) and Ted 2 (2015). 11. Nicole de Boer. Nicole de Boer began her acting career as a child in her hometown Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Most Beautiful Star Trek Actresses Of All-Time
Star Trek: The Next Generation ran for seven seasons and 176 total episodes. Marina Sirtis, as Deanna Troi, was one of six cast members who were involved in every episode that aired.
Star Trek: The Original Series Cast & Character Guide
Star Trek: The Original Series - originally known simply as Star Trek - features some of the most iconic characters in all of science fiction with the crew of the original USS Enterprise. After its initial pilot episode was rejected by network NBC, Star Trek was massively overhauled with a largely new cast and a more adventurous tone.Star Trek debuted in 1966, and while it was never a ratings ...
List of Star Trek: The Original Series cast members
Grace Lee Whitney as Janice Rand, Captain's yeoman. John Winston as Kyle, operations officer. Michael Barrier as Vincent DeSalle, navigator and assistant chief engineer. Roger Holloway as Roger Lemli, security officer. Eddie Paskey as Leslie, various positions. David L. Ross as Galloway, various positions. Jim Goodwin as John Farrell, navigator.
List of Star Trek: The Next Generation cast members
Star Trek: The Next Generation first-season cast photo. Six of the main actors appeared in all seven seasons and all four movies. Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series that debuted in broadcast syndication on September 28, 1987. The series lasted for seven seasons until 1994, and was followed by four movies which were released between 1994 and 2002.
Star Trek (TV Series 1966-1969)
Star Trek (1966-1969) Full Cast & Crew. See agents for this cast & crew on IMDbPro Series Directed by ... Series Cast verified as complete Leonard Nimoy ... Mister Spock / ... 80 episodes, 1966-1969 ... female guest star (uncredited) / stand-in: Grace Lee Whitney (uncredited) / stand-in: Grace Lee Whitney and female guest star (uncredited ...
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Marina Sirtis. Deanna Troi 178 Episodes 1994. Denise Crosby. Lt. Tasha Yar 68 Episodes 1994. Diana Muldaur. Dr. Katherine `Kate' Pulaski 73 Episodes 1994. Michelle Forbes.
10 Star Trek Movie Female Characters Who Only Appeared Once
Star Trek films have established a curious trend of introducing new female characters who are never seen again after their initial appearance.After the successful transition of Star Trek: The Original Series to the big screen, it only made sense to add more women to the final frontier. Creator Gene Roddenberry's original vision for Star Trek involved more women than TOS actually included, but ...
21 Things About Star Trek That Fans Hesitate to Acknowledge
In 1995, Captain Janeway took over our screens as the first female lead of Star Trek Voyager, ... and his series had a great cast, including legendary characters like Data, Deanna Troi, Worf, and ...
Star Trek (2009)
Justin Stafford. ... special contact lens painter. Susan Stepanian. ... makeup artist. Miho Suzuki. ... makeup effects lab technician: Proteus Make-up FX.
10 Best Female Marvel Movie Villains, Ranked
Marvel Movie villains are almost as important as their heroic enemies, with some of the best being female characters. The modern age of Marvel movies is replete with iconic villains from Marvel Comics, though the first female arch-villain would not debut until 2017. That villain in particular would prove why it should never have taken so long for female villains to take center stage, though ...

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

10. Romulan Commander

9. Philippa Georgiou

8. Elizabeth Shelby

7. Deanna Troi

6. Michael Burnham

5. Beverly Crusher

4. Seven of Nine

3. Nyota Uhura

2. Number One / Una Chin-Riley

1. Kathryn Janeway

Mariette Hartley

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Number One (Majel Barrett, 1964)

The Romulan Commander (Joanne Linville, 1968)

Commander Beverly Crusher, Medical Doctor (Gates McFadden, 1987)

Commander Deanna Troi, Mental Health Counselor (Marina Sirtis, 1987)

Captain Rachel Garrett (Tricia O'Neil, 1990)

Commander Elizabeth Shelby (Elizabeth Dennehy, 1991)

Admiral Alynna Nechayev (Natalia Nogulich, 1992)

Colonel Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor, 1993)

Captain Kasidy Yates (Penny Johnson Jerald, 1995)

Honorable Mentions

The Female Changeling (Salome Jens, 1994)

Lieutenant Natasha Yar (Denise Crosby, 1987)

The Admirals

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Meet the women of Star Trek: Picard

Dahj (Isa Briones)

Dr. Agnes Jurati (Alison Pill)

Raffi Musiker (Michelle Hurd)

Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan)

Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis)

Laris (Orla Brady)

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47 Badass Women of Star Trek

Nyota Uhura (Nichelle Nichols & Celia Rose Gooding)

Lwaxana Troi (Majel Barrett-Roddenberry)

Vice Admiral Janeway (Kate Mulgrew)

Michael Burnam (Sonequa Martin-Green)

Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan)

D’Vana Tendi (Noël Wells)

Hoshi Sato (Linda Park)

Nurse Christine Chapel (Majel Barrett-Roddenberry & Jess Bush)

T’Pol (Jolene Blalock)

Una Chin-Riley (Majel Barrett-Roddenberry & Rebecca Romijin)

Captain Carol Freeman (Dawnn Lewis)

Philipa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh)

Dr. Gillian Taylor (Catherine Hicks)

Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor)

Jadzia Dax & Ezri Dax (Terry Farrell & Nicole de Boer)

Rok-Tahk (Rylee Alazraqui)

Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis)

Gwyndala (Ella Purnell)

Doctor T’Ana (Gillian Vigman)

B’Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson)

Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman)

Me Hani Ika Hali Po (Yadira Guevara-Prip)

Jett Reno (Tig Notaro)

La’An Noonien-Singh (Christina Chong)

Doctor Agnes Jurati (Alison Pill)

Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome)

President Laira Rillak (Chelah Horsdal)

Doctor Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden)