star trek enterprise captain kirk

Balance of Terror (episode)

The Enterprise battles a Romulan ship suspected of destroying outposts near the Neutral Zone.

• 1.2 Act One
• 1.3 Act Two
• 1.4 Act Three
• 1.5 Act Four
• 2 Log entries
• 3 Memorable quotes
• 4.1 Production timeline
• 4.2 Story and script
• 4.3 Production
• 4.5 Costumes
• 4.6 Continuity
• 4.7 Preview
• 4.8 Reception
• 4.9 Apocrypha
• 4.10 Remastered information
• 4.11 Video and DVD releases
• 5.1 Starring
• 5.2 Also starring
• 5.3 Co-starring
• 5.4 Featuring
• 5.5 Uncredited co-stars
• 5.7 Stand-ins
• 5.8 References
• 5.9 Unreferenced material
• 5.10 External links

Summary [ ]

A wedding aboard the Enterprise

Captain James T. Kirk is officiating at a wedding between two crew members, Angela Martine and Robert Tomlinson , in the Enterprise 's chapel , with the ceremony being broadcast on video screens all over the ship.

The bride and groom are in their regular Starfleet uniforms , with Angela wearing a white flower crown. Montgomery Scott is also present to give Angela away, acting as father of the bride . Suddenly, a red alert klaxon interrupts the ceremony, followed by a request for Captain Kirk to report to the bridge . Kirk learns that Earth Outpost 4 is under attack as everyone runs to battle stations .

Act One [ ]

The USS Enterprise investigates in the vicinity of the Romulan Neutral Zone , where an unknown assailant is methodically destroying each of the Earth outposts bordering the Zone. Spock explains to the crew that the Neutral Zone was established after the Earth-Romulan War over a century ago . Neither race has had contact with the other since that time, and neither side knows what the other looks like. Kirk then tells the crew that while self-defense is permitted, they are forbidden by Starfleet Command 's orders to violate the Neutral Zone. The Enterprise and its crew are to be considered expendable.

Lieutenant Stiles assumes the attacking vessel is Romulan, but Kirk points out that after a century, no one would know what a Romulan ship looks like. Stiles shares his knowledge of Romulan ship markings, as a number of his relatives died in the Earth-Romulan war. " Their war, Mr. Stiles, " says Kirk. " Not yours. "

Earth Outposts 2 and 3 are found to be destroyed, and the Enterprise briefly contacts Outpost 4. The sole survivor of Outpost 4, Commander Hansen , describes a powerful blast of energy from a ship they couldn't track and the destruction of Outpost 8. He then reports that the ship has reappeared. A view relayed from the outpost's sensors shows the ship firing, and then the viewing screen goes blank.

Spock's sensors detect a moving object, but nothing is visible on the screen. He suggests that the Romulans have some sort of invisibility shield. Since the Romulan ship seems to be in no hurry, Kirk theorizes that it may not be aware of the Enterprise . Spock then reports that the ship is heading back towards the Neutral Zone.

Despite objections from Stiles, Kirk orders a parallel course instead of an intercept course. By matching the unknown ship's course and speed, he hopes to make the Enterprise seem like an echo . Under no circumstances is the Enterprise to enter the Romulan Neutral Zone without a direct order from Kirk. Stiles points out that there could be Romulan spies on board the Enterprise , and Sulu recommends maintaining a security alert .

Uhura picks up a communication signal, through which Spock is able obtain a view of the Romulan ship's interior, providing the Federation their first visuals of the Romulans. Stiles notices the Romulan captain's physical resemblance to Spock.

Act Two [ ]

As Uhura attempts to interpret the Romulan signals, Stiles sarcastically suggests giving the job to Spock. Kirk orders him to keep his bigotry to himself.

" Stay with him, helm. "

Meanwhile, on the bridge of the Romulan ship, the Romulan commander has noticed the Enterprise following them. He confers with one of his officers ( the centurion ) on the ethics of their mission. He then rebukes and demotes another officer, Decius , for dispatching a subspace message in violation of orders for radio silence . The centurion warns the commander that Decius has powerful friends. The commander quietly expresses distaste for the mission but assures the centurion of his devotion to his duty.

During a Romulan attack, Rand and Kirk brace for the impact of a plasma torpedo

In the Enterprise briefing room, the officers discuss their chances against the Romulan ship. Spock demonstrates the effect of the Romulan weapon on Outpost 4's protective shields, and Scott reports that the Romulan ship's power is "simple impulse". Stiles urges an attack, arguing from history that running would guarantee war. Spock agrees, pointing out that Vulcan had begun to colonize space before giving up its warlike ways, and that if the Romulans are indeed descended from ancient Vulcans, they are more dangerous than Kirk might realize. After a moment, Kirk gives the order to attack. The Enterprise heads into battle at red alert.

Act Three [ ]

Kirk orders the Enterprise crew to attack the Romulans

Following the Romulan ship's path towards a comet 's tail, Kirk orders the Enterprise to jump forward and attack the Romulan ship when its trail becomes visible. The Romulan commander hopes to double back to intercept the Enterprise , but, on learning that his target is no longer following, orders an evasive maneuver. Each commander, having failed in his plans, reflects on the other's intelligence.

A barrage of phaser fire damages the Romulan ship. The centurion pushes the Romulan commander out of the way of falling debris but is fatally injured himself. Meanwhile, the phaser circuits on the Enterprise burn out as the Romulan ship fires its primary weapon. Kirk orders full astern and as the Enterprise backs up, they find that the weapon has a range limit which causes the shot to partially dissipate, resulting in reduced impact.

Determined to prevent the Romulan ship from reentering the Neutral Zone, Kirk orders another barrage of phaser fire. Unable to stop the Romulan ship, and aware of the consequences, Kirk orders the Enterprise into the Neutral Zone. Displaying restrained emotion as his friend dies, the Romulan commander orders all debris and, sadly, the body of his friend into the escape chute as a decoy. The Enterprise picks up the debris on the sensors but in doing so, loses track of the Romulan ship.

Act Four [ ]

McCoy counsels Kirk

It has come down to a waiting game and both ships have powered down in the Neutral Zone to prevent detection. After the Enterprise has been powered down for 9 hours and 47 minutes, Kirk tries to rest in his quarters , when Yeoman Rand walks in and asks the captain if he would like something to eat from the galley . Kirk shakes his head and tells Rand to get him coffee and have it on the bridge, as he will be heading up there soon. Just then, Dr. McCoy arrives as Rand leaves. Kirk confesses that he wishes he were on a cruise somewhere with no responsibility. He admits to McCoy that when his crew looks to him to make the next move, he wonders, " What if I'm wrong? " McCoy struggles at first to come up with an answer to this and Kirk does not expect him to provide one. However, McCoy puts his hand on Kirk's shoulder and gently says, " In this galaxy , there's a mathematical probability of three million Earth-type planets . And in all the universe, three million million galaxies like this. And in all of that, and perhaps more, only one of each of us. Don't destroy the one named Kirk. "

Later on the bridge, Spock, while making repairs, accidentally activates a panel, and the Romulan ship detects the Enterprise and moves in to attack. Kirk anticipates this and manages to fire on the Romulan ship. Furious, the Romulan commander orders more debris into the disposal tubes, including a nuclear warhead .

Spock picks up the "metal-cased object" on his sensors and the Enterprise fires upon it. The massive explosion causes damage to the Enterprise but despite now having the upper hand, the Romulan commander decides to head for home.

Scott reports that while phasers are operational, only Tomlinson, the groom from the wedding, is manning the station. Stiles quotes his experience with phasers and Kirk sends him down to assist. In an attempt to lure the Romulan ship back, the Enterprise plays dead.

Despite his reservations, and the crippled status of his ship, the Romulan commander is reminded by Decius that it is the commander's duty to crush the enemy. The commander then reluctantly gives the order to attack.

Meanwhile, Spock checks on the phaser crew and Stiles coldly remarks that they " will handle things without your help, Vulcan ." After Spock leaves however, a phaser coolant leak erupts. As the Romulan ship moves in to attack, Kirk gives the order to fire phasers. But both Tomlinson and Stiles have been overcome by the coolant fumes. Realizing the danger, Spock runs back and manages to fire the phasers in time, severely damaging the Romulan ship.

After his defeat, the Commander of the Romulan flagship bestows his respect to the victor.

Visual contact between ships is somehow established as Kirk watches a severely wounded Romulan commander stagger to his feet. The Romulan commander turns and looks upon Kirk's face. Despite Kirk's offer to beam aboard any survivors, the Romulan commander informs him that it is not the Romulan way. He then says, with admiration, " I regret that we meet in this way. You and I are of a kind. In a different reality, I could have called you friend, " and as the last part of his duty, he sets the Romulan ship to self-destruct . Kirk watches regretfully as the ship is destroyed.

Kirk goes to sickbay and discovers that not only did Spock fire the phasers, but he also rescued Stiles. Stiles is humbled and amazed that Spock saved his life after everything he had said to him. Unfortunately, Spock was unable to save Robert Tomlinson. Prior to Kirk leaving sickbay, Yeoman Rand enters and informs him that Starfleet has responded with an endorsement of his decision to enter the Neutral Zone based on the circumstances.

Kirk is then forced to console Tomlinson's grief-stricken fiancée , Angela Martine, while she stands alone in the chapel. " It never makes any sense. We both have to know that there was a reason, " Kirk says softly to Martine. She tearfully assures the captain that she will be fine and leaves. Kirk watches Angela go and then leaves the chapel too, striding purposefully down the ship's corridor.

Log entries [ ]

• Captain's log, USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), 2266

Memorable quotes [ ]

Stiles, Kirk, and Scott

" Since the days of the first wooden vessels, all ship masters have had one happy privilege: that of uniting two people in the bonds of matrimony. "

" I had no idea that history was your specialty. " " Family history. "

" Their war, Mr. Stiles. Not yours. "

" Happy wedding day, almost. " " You won't get off my hook this easily. I'm going to marry you, Mister. Battle or phaser weapons notwithstanding. "

On board the Romulan vessel

" Leave any bigotry in your quarters. There's no room for it on the bridge. "

" That Earth outpost sent word to an Earth vessel, now it follows. " " Which neither retreats nor grows near, which turns as we turn. Commander, it is our judgment that we run from a reflection. " " Perhaps so, but my judgment prevails. "

" He has friends. And friends of his kind mean power. And power is danger. " " Danger and I are old companions. "

" Not too soon for me to see the stars of home. "

" War is never imperative, Mr. Spock. " " It is for them , Doctor. Vulcan, like Earth, had its aggressive, colonizing period; savage, even by Earth standards. And if the Romulans retained this martial philosophy, then weakness is something we dare not show. "

" I wish I were on a long sea voyage somewhere. Not too much deck tennis, no frantic dancing. And no responsibility. "

While Kirk rests in his quarters, Rand enters to check up on him

" In this galaxy, there's a mathematical probability of three million earth-type planets… and in all the universe, three million million galaxies like this one. And in all of that, and perhaps more, only one of each of us. Don't destroy the one named Kirk. "

" He's a sorcerer, that one! He reads the thoughts in my brain! "

" You and I are of a kind. In a different reality, I could have called you friend. "

Angela Martine in the ship's chapel

" We are creatures of duty, Captain. I have lived my life by it. Just one more duty to perform. "

" It never makes any sense. We both have to know that there was a reason. "

Background information [ ]

Production timeline [ ].

• Theatrical premiere of "The Enemy Below": 25 December 1957
• Theatrical premiere of "Run Silent, Run Deep": 27 March 1958
• Story outline by Paul Schneider : 14 April 1966
• Revised Story outline: 26 April 1966 , 29 April 1966
• First draft teleplay: 20 May 1966
• Second draft teleplay: 3 June 1966
• Revised teleplay by John D.F. Black : 21 June 1966
• Second revised teleplay by Black: 2 July 1966
• Final draft teleplay by Gene Roddenberry : 14 July 1966
• Revised final draft teleplay: 18 July 1966
• Additional revisions: 19 July 1966 , 20 July 1966 , 21 July 1966 , 22 July 1966 , 25 July 1966
• Day 1 – 20 July 1966 , Wednesday – Desilu Stage 9 : Int. Bridge
• Day 2 – 21 July 1966 , Thursday – Desilu Stage 9 : Int. Bridge
• Day 3 – 22 July 1966 , Friday – Desilu Stage 9 : Int. Bridge
• Day 4 – 25 July 1966 , Monday – Desilu Stage 9 : Int. Bridge , Chapel (redress of Transporter room ), Phaser control room (redress of Engineering )
• Day 5 – 26 July 1966 , Tuesday – Desilu Stage 9 : Int. Kirk's quarters , Briefing room , Sickbay , Corridors
• Day 6 – 27 July 1966 , Wednesday – Desilu Stage 9 : Int. McCoy's office , Romulan bridge
• Day 7 – 28 July 1966 , Thursday (Half Day) – Desilu Stage 9 : Int. Romulan bridge
• Original airdate: 15 December 1966
• Rerun date: 3 August 1967
• First UK airdate (on BBC1 ): 25 October 1969
• First UK airdate (on ITV ): 6 December 1981
• Remastered airdate: 16 September 2006

Story and script [ ]

• The plot of this episode is based on the 1957 film The Enemy Below , with the Enterprise taking the part of the American destroyer and the Bird-of-Prey with its cloaking device taking the part of the submarine. ( The Star Trek Compendium 4th ed., p. 40) Director Vincent McEveety had seen the film but only noticed the similarity later, when this was pointed out to him. He commented, " Obviously, it's the same story. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 34)
• Star Trek: The Original Series 365 (p. 063) suggests that Schneider may have also been inspired by another submarine film, Run Silent, Run Deep . The authors note that the film contains a similar plot thread of an officer longing for vengeance, as well as the tactic of releasing wreckage and bodies from a damaged vessel in order to mislead the opposing ship. The Star Trek Compendium (5th edition, p. 40) also mentions this film as the inspiration along with The Enemy Below .
• The "Revised Final Draft" of the script was disseminated on 18 July 1966. ( Cover )
• A portion (scene 46) with the doomed Commander Hansen was filmed but cut from the final episode. [1] In it, Hansen informed Kirk that the Romulan vessel is of "starship design" and that the Romulans had probably stolen Earth designs via espionage and traitors. This is the basis for Stiles' remarks in scene 52 about a vessel "remarkably similar to ours" and having Romulan spies aboard the Enterprise , which was aired and before he even knew what Romulans looked like. [2]
• A shot filmed for scene 171 but cut from the finished episode shows Kirk saluting the Romulan commander, which the latter acknowledges with a courteous nod, before destroying his ship. [3]

Production [ ]

• The music featured during the opening scenes of the wedding ceremony is the 19th century English tune " Long, Long Ago ."
• Although phasers are used throughout the episode, the visual effect seen is that which later was used for photon torpedo launches, probably because the term "photon torpedo" was not invented until later in the season, in " Arena ". Kirk orders the phasers to be "set for proximity blast "; each phaser blast acts like a Navy depth charge.
• This is the only time in the series that the Below decks Phaser weapons room is seen.
• The Making of Star Trek and The Star Trek Compendium (4th ed., p. 40) state that the ship's chapel was a redress of the transporter room. Inside Star Trek: The Real Story (pp. 170-171), states that it is, instead, a redress of the briefing room.
• The trailer includes footage of the Enterprise firing its phasers from " The Corbomite Maneuver " instead of the "blast-like" phaser effect seen in the actual episode.
• Regular first season extra Ron Veto gets his only close-up in TOS, when he replaces Stiles at the navigation console.
• Two of the actors playing Romulans in this episode later played Vulcan characters, namely Mark Lenard ( Sarek ) and Lawrence Montaigne ( Stonn ).

Costumes [ ]

• The Romulan helmets shown aboard the Romulan bridge were designed to cover the ears of the actors. This saved the additional cost of creating prosthetic ear-points for each of the supporting actors. They were reused in " Amok Time " (on Vulcans) and " The Enterprise Incident " for the same reason. ( Star Trek: The Original Series 365 , p. 173)
• The rarely seen command work utility jumpsuit is worn by several crew members in this episode.

Continuity [ ]

• This episode saw the introduction of the Romulan Star Empire in Star Trek . Paul Schneider is credited with creating the Romulans. Schneider remarked, " It was a matter of developing a good Romanesque set of admirable antagonists that were worthy of Kirk. I came up with the concept of the Romulans which was an extension of the Roman civilization to the point of space travel, and it turned out quite well. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 34) Schneider's next contribution was " The Squire of Gothos ".
• Associate producer / story editor John D.F. Black said about Schneider, " He was the father of the Romulans. Not Gene, not me, not anyone else – but Paul Schneider. And when he came up with the Romulan characters, they were so wonderful – I mean, they were full. I liked that script a lot. " ( These Are the Voyages: TOS Season One , p. 217)
• "Balance of Terror" introduces cloaking devices to the Star Trek universe. While this episode suggests that they are a new development in interstellar history, ENT : " Broken Bow " and DIS : " The Vulcan Hello " establish that Starfleet has encountered Suliban and Klingon cloaks in the past ( 2151 and 2256 , respectively).
• This is the only time in which the ship's weaponry is fired through a chain of commands (Kirk, to Stiles, to phaser room), although " The Corbomite Maneuver " comes close with Bailey 's phaser drills.
• When Kirk requests communication with the Romulan flagship , Uhura opens a hailing frequency from the navigation console , which seems unusual. However, when she left the communications station , Uhura had shut down most of the light indicators, which could indicate a transfer of functionality to the navigator's position. This is not the first time the navigation console has been used to open communications. In " The Cage " and " Where No Man Has Gone Before ", when Captain Christopher Pike and Captain Kirk, respectively, want to "address intercraft," the system is opened from the navigation console. This apparently is also true in the alternate reality , because in Star Trek , Pavel Chekov is able to address the crew of the USS Enterprise from his position at navigation.
• As an homage, Captain Picard 's wedding remarks in TNG : " Data's Day " are almost the same as those Kirk uses. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion , 3rd ed., p.152)
• An alternate timeline version of the events of this episode is shown in SNW : " A Quality of Mercy ", in which Christopher Pike remains captain of the Enterprise , while Kirk is present as captain of the USS Farragut .
• This episode contains the first mention of Romulus ' neighboring planet Remus , which later appears prominently in Star Trek Nemesis .

Preview [ ]

• The preview contains a Captain's Log recorded solely for the preview: " Captain's log, stardate 1710.0. The starship Enterprise is under heavy attack by an enemy vessel. "

Reception [ ]

• McEveety recalled, " [Kirk and the Romulan commander] were very heroic characters pitted one against the other, and it dealt with the length to which people would go for their honor. It was a morality fantasy play, but terribly gripping. I thought that Mark Lenard's performance was brilliant, as was Bill Shatner's. It was a two-people show that I felt was real strong. " ( Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages , p. 34)
• Mark Lenard said, " The Romulan Commander was one of the best roles I ever had on TV. " Comparing the part with that of Sarek , Lenard elaborated, " In many ways, I did enjoy that role [Sarek], but I think the more demanding role and the better acting role was the Romulan Commander" . ( These Are the Voyages: TOS Season One , p. 217)
• Gene Roddenberry picked this as one of his ten favorite episodes for the franchise's 25th anniversary. ( TV Guide [ page number? • edit ] , August 31, 1991)
• According to the original showrunner of Star Trek: Discovery , Bryan Fuller , the events of "Balance of Terror" were to provide a "touchstone" for the series. [4] However, since Fuller left the series during its development, it is unclear what exactly this was supposed to entail. The Romulans have not been seen or mentioned on Discovery thus far, though Romulus was mentioned in " Context Is for Kings ".
• In 2017 , Ted Sullivan described the Discovery episode " Si Vis Pacem, Para Bellum " as "'Balance of Terror' good". [5]

Apocrypha [ ]

• In the James Blish adaptation of this story, presumably based on an earlier draft of the script, Stiles dies. In addition, Robert Tomlinson and Angela Martine actually marry, in a second ceremony late in the story. When the Enterprise fires on the Romulan ship for the final time, the latter explodes immediately, with the conversation between Kirk and the Romulan commander being omitted.
• In the William Shatner novel The Return , where Kirk is resurrected by a Borg /Romulan alliance to kill Captain Jean-Luc Picard , the Romulan alliance is arranged by the granddaughter of the Romulan commander of this mission, convinced that Starfleet are brutal murderers and seeking revenge for her grandfather's death at Kirk's hands.
• The story of the events on Romulus leading up to this episode are told in the comic book " Alien Spotlight: Romulans ".
• A different background to this episode is told in the novella The First Peer and the novel Summon the Thunder , where Vrax is the Praetor who authorized the Neutral Zone incursion.
• In the novel Headlong Flight , an experiment in dimensional displacement results in the USS Enterprise -E of the "prime" universe – over a decade after Star Trek Nemesis – encountering both an alternate version of the USS Enterprise -D – from a year after the Battle of Wolf 359 , in a timeline which ended with the death of Picard/ Locutus of Borg – and a trio of Romulan ships from this era, in a timeline where the Romulan ship depicted here apparently destroyed Kirk's Enterprise in the final showdown.

Remastered information [ ]

• "Balance of Terror" was the first episode of the remastered version of The Original Series to air, though in some markets it was preceded by " Miri ". It premiered in syndication on the weekend 16 September 2006 and most notably featured new effects shots of the comet, Romulan plasma torpedo , and Bird-of-Prey, as well as of the Enterprise and Bird-of-Prey "adrift".

Video and DVD releases [ ]

• US CED VideoDisc release: 1 March 1983
• US LaserDisc release: July 1985
• Original US Betamax/VHS release: 28 February 1985
• Original UK VHS release (two-episode tapes, CIC Video ): Volume 5 , catalog number VHR 2250, release date unknown
• Japan LaserDisc release: 10 November 1992
• US VHS release: 15 April 1994
• UK re-release (three-episode tapes, CIC Video): Volume 1.3, 8 July 1996
• As part of the US VHS collection Star Trek - The Greatest Battles : 3 April 1997
• As part of the UK VHS collection Star Trek - Greatest Battles : 16 November 1998
• Original US DVD release (single-disc): Volume 4, 19 October 1999
• As part of the TOS Season 1 DVD collection
• As part of the Star Trek: Fan Collective - Captain's Log DVD collection
• As part of the TOS Season 1 HD DVD collection
• As part of The Best of Star Trek: The Original Series DVD collection
• As part of the TOS Season 1 Blu-ray collection

Links and references [ ]

Starring [ ].

• William Shatner as Capt. Kirk

Also starring [ ]

• Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock
• Mark Lenard as a Romulan Commander

Co-starring [ ]

• Paul Comi as Stiles
• Lawrence Montaigne as Decius

Featuring [ ]

• DeForest Kelley as Dr. McCoy
• Grace Lee Whitney as Yeoman Rand
• George Takei as Sulu
• James Doohan as Scott
• Nichelle Nichols as Uhura
• Stephen Mines as Tomlinson
• Barbara Baldavin as Angela
• Garry Walberg as Hansen
• John Warburton as The Centurion

Uncredited co-stars [ ]

• John Arndt as Fields
• William Blackburn as Hadley
• Robert Chadwick as a Romulan scope operator
• Frank da Vinci as Brent
• Walt Davis as Romulan crewman 1
• Vince Deadrick as Romulan crewman 2
• Jeannie Malone as a yeoman
• Sean Morgan as Brenner
• Eddie Paskey as Leslie
• Ron Veto as Harrison
• Command crewman
• Command crew woman 1
• Command crew woman 2
• Command lieutenant
• Medical technician
• Operations crewman
• Sciences lieutenant
• Wedding attendee 1
• Wedding attendee 2
• Wedding attendee 3
• Vince Deadrick ( double )
• Allen Jaffe (stunt)

Stand-ins [ ]

• William Blackburn as the stand-in for DeForest Kelley
• Frank da Vinci as the stand-in for Leonard Nimoy
• Jeannie Malone as the stand-in for Grace Lee Whitney
• Eddie Paskey as the stand-in for William Shatner

References [ ]

2156 ; 2160 ; ability ; Achilles' heel ; act of war ; adversary ; " all decks alert "; " all hands "; amen ; analysis ; answer ; area ; assignment ; assumption ; asteroid ; atomic weapon ; battle stations ; battle status ; bearing ; best man ; bigotry ; bird-of-prey ; blip ; body ; bonds of matrimony ; book ; " Bones "; brain ; briefing room ; campaign ; candelabra ; carelessness ; cast ; centurion ; century ; chance ; commander ; channel ; chapel ; cloaking system (aka cloak , invisibility screen ); code ; coffee ; command base ; Command base nearest to Neutral Zone ; comet ; comet tail ; command order ; composition ; comrade ; condition red ; conduit ; conscience ; contact ; control circuit ; couch ; Cryptography ; customer ; cycle ; damage report ; dancing ; danger ; death ; debris ; deck ; decode ; deflector shield ; disposal tube ; distance ; dust ; duty ; Earth ; Earth Outpost Station ; Earth-Romulan War ; emergency call ; emergency warp ; enemy ; error ; escape maneuver one ; estimate ( estimating ); evasive maneuvers (aka evasive action ); family history ; face-to-face ; feeling ; flagship ; friend ; fuel ; fuel reserve ; " full astern "; Galaxy Quadrant YX-12-114 ; galley ; green ; hardness ; hailing frequency ; heading (aka course ); " Here Comes the Bride " (aka " Bridal Chorus "); history ; homeland ; hour ; Human ; Icarus IV ; idea ; identification ; impact ; implosion ; impulse ; interception course ; intruder ; iron ; junior officer ; lab ; lateral power ; lectern ; light ; magnitude ; mass ; master ; match ; maximum warp ; memory ; metal ; meter ; mile ; minute ; Milky Way Galaxy ; million ; mission ; mistake ; mister ; motion sensor ; navigator ; Neutral Zone Incursion ; no quarter ; nuclear warhead ; obedience ; object ; " of course "; opinion ; order ; " out of reach "; outpost station ; Outpost 1 ; Outpost 2 ; Outpost 3 ; Outpost 4 ; Outpost 5 ; Outpost 6 ; Outpost 7 ; Outpost 8 ; overload ; parallel course ; patrol ; phaser control room (aka phaser room , phaser control ); phaser coolant ; phaser coolant seal ; phaser crew ; phaser weapon ; philosophy ; plasma ; plasma torpedo ; plastaform ; playing dead ; power consumption ; praetor ; Praetor's flagship ; probability ; proof ; protective shield ; proximity fuse ; question ; radiation burn ; range ; rank ; rank reduction ; reality ; Remus ; retreat ; risk ; rodinium ; Romii ; Romulan Star Empire ; Romulans ; Romulan Bird-of-Prey ; Romulan Neutral Zone ; Romulan praetor ; Romulus system ; Romulus ; rule of silence ; salute ; savage ; science ; sea ; second ; Sector Z-6 ; security alert ; sensor ( sensing device ); sensor probe ; sensor range ; services ; session ; shipmaster ; sighting ; signal for war ; sneak attack ; sorcerer ; space recorder ; Space Service ; space vessel ; specialist ; speaker ; spy ; " stand by "; standby alert ; standby crew ; starboard ; star sector ; Stiles (Captain); Stiles (Commander); Stiles (Commander); Stiles family ; subject ; subspace radio ; superior officer ; surrender ; survivor ; Table of Comets ; tactic ; tactical report ; tape ; telepathy ; television camera device ; tennis ; theory ; thing ; thought ; transfer coil ; Treaty of 2160 ; trick ; velocity ; victory ; viewing screen ; Visual communication ; Vulcans ; Vulcan (planet) ; Vulcan history ; weapons control ; weapons crew ; wedding day ; wooden vessel

Unreferenced material [ ]

bird ; bull ; chest pain ; creature ; hawk ; a medicine ; seat-harness ; terrier

External links [ ]

• " Balance of Terror " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• " Balance of Terror " at Wikipedia
• " Balance of Terror " at MissionLogPodcast.com , a Roddenberry Star Trek podcast
• " Balance of Terror " at the Internet Movie Database
• 1 Daniels (Crewman)
• 2 Jamaharon

‘Star Trek’: Every Actor Who Played Captain James Kirk, From Shatner to Chris Pine (Photos)

Several. Different. James Kirks. Have. Sat. In. That. Chair.

With yet another actor cast to play James Tiberius Kirk on a “Star Trek” project (“Vampire Diaries” star Paul Wesley in “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds”), it’s time to talk about everyone who has boldly gone before him. (Sorry, we couldn’t resist.)

William Shatner — “Star Trek: The Original Series” The one, the only, THE Captain. Shatner originated the character in 1966 and since then his every line as Kirk — and his unique style of line reading — is embedded in our consciousness as if placed there by a Vulcan mind meld. Admit it, you’re reading this like. Williamshatner. Is. speak. ingit. out. loud.

Sandra Smith — “Star Trek: The Original Series” Season 3, Episode 24, “Turnabout Intruder” Smith deserves special mention for a brilliant performance in a very problematic episode. Janice Lester (Smith), is a Starfleet officer and former lover of Kirk who forcibly switches bodies with Kirk in order to become a captain. She spends the entire episode trying to kill her own body (and Kirk’s mind) but is of course thwarted. Her performance as Kirk-in-Lester is extremely fun. The sexist premise not so much.

Chris Pine — “Star Trek” (2009) became the second most famous version of Captain Kirk in JJ Abram’s 2009 reboot, “Star Trek,” which takes place in an alternate universe created by a time traveling Romulan. As a result, Kirk becomes Enterprise captain a decade early — and also is revealed to be a classical music fan (the Beastie Boys are classical music to people in the future).

Jimmy Bennett — “Star Trek” (2009)  Bennett plays Kirk as a child during an early scene in the film, when we learn that in the new timeline, Kirk is something of a delinquent. In his one scene, he steals his stepdad’s car and blasts “Sabotage” by the Beastie Boys at top volume. 

Paul Wesley — “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” We know next to nothing about Wesley’s take on Kirk, as he won’t debut in the role until the second season of “Strange New Worlds” in 2023. What we do know is it’ll take place close to a decade before the events of “The Original Series,” which means he won’t yet be a Starfleet captain. Likely we’ll encounter him as a lieutenant on the U.S.S. Farragut, the ship Kirk served on before being promoted to Captain and given command of The Enterprise. Unless of course, the show does something stupid with continuity like “Discovery” did with the awful Klingon redesign. Please don’t, guys.

HONORABLE MENTION: James Cawley/Brian Goss — “Star Trek: New Voyages” This 2008-2013 web series attempted to imagine what if the original “Star Trek” had continued past Season 3. Originally titled “Star Trek: Phase II,” Cawley played Kirk for the first 8 episodes, with Goss stepping in for the last 2.

HONORABLE MENTION: Vic Mignogna — “Star Trek Continues” Another fan production that attempted to emulate the look and feel of the original series, and key to pulling that off was Mignogna as Kirk. While not doing a parody, he did manage to nail Shatner’s weird swagger. 

The Captain You Never Knew Preceded Captain Kirk On Star Trek

It's hard to imagine any other captain leading the voyages of the USS Enterprise in the original " Star Trek " TV series than Captain James T. Kirk. Fans are always surprised to learn that Kirk, played by William Shatner, was actually not the original captain of the famous Star Fleet spacecraft. Shatner's likeness has been so closely associated with the franchise that learning that there was someone else in the captain's chair before Shatner planted himself there might sound unbelievable — but it's true.

The first commander of ol' 1701 was an officer named Christopher Pike, played by Jeffrey Hunter — at least in Gene Rodenberry's initial 1964 "Star Trek" pilot, called "The Cage." The original pilot, however, was ultimately rejected by NBC (via The Denver Post ). If Captain Pike somehow seems familiar, though, it's because he does make an appearance, albeit fleeting, in a later episode in the original series. 

Famed comic actress Lucille Ball , of "I Love Lucy" acclaim, co-owned Desilu Productions at the time and produced the first "Star Trek" pilot. After it was rejected, Ball convinced NBC to invest in a second pilot, but it faced a huge challenge: it needed a new lead actor (via CBR.com ).

Captain Kirk becomes the face of the Star Trek franchise

Hunter left the series before the second pilot, titled "Where No Man Has Gone Before," was shot, freeing Roddenberry to recast the show (of course, the Vulcan Science Officer Spock maintained his role). Hunter, at the time, was a film actor and wanted to concentrate on movie roles. He had also had a bad experience with another TV show and didn't like the long commitment involved with a television series, according to the website Comic Book Resources . 

When the bold and handsome Kirk assumed the captain's chair, the stars aligned, and NBC picked up the series. Pike does make an appearance in the series in recycled flashbacks from the first pilot, which is why he might be familiar to Star Trek fans who have watched the original series or binged it on a streaming service where the original pilot is still available.

"Star Trek" only ran on TV for three seasons, from its debut on Sept. 8, 1966, until 1969 — hardly enough time for it to complete its five-year mission "to explore strange new worlds" and "to boldly go where no man has gone before." But the continuing popularity of "Star Trek" and science fiction, in general, propelled the series into a movie franchise in the 1980s and 1990s, as well as several new TV series during that time. 

The crew of the famed starship has had several iterations since and are still seeking out new life and new civilizations — and Captain Pike, played by Anson Mount, made 14 appearances in "Star Trek: Discovery" (via IMDb ) and is set to launch his own show, " Strange New Worlds ," in 2022 (via IMDb ). 

Star Trek: What We Know About James T. Kirk Before He Became Captain Of The Enterprise

We do know some things.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds just dropped the mic with its latest casting when it revealed that The Vampire Diaries ' Paul Wesley will join the series in Season 2 as James T. Kirk. Known more commonly as Captain Kirk (and made iconic by modern space traveler and actor William Shatner) when he helmed the Enterprise in the original Star Trek , he's coming to the upcoming Star Trek series, and that’s cause for excitement. It’s even more exciting when considering that this is presumably before Kirk served as Captain of the Enterprise , because Anson Mount is playing his predecessor, Captain Pike. 

The possibility (and likelihood) of seeing a pre- Enterprise Kirk join the cast of characters already involved is exciting, as there isn’t a ton we’ve seen of the iconic captain’s years before Starfleet. However, we do know a few things from the original series that are worth mentioning that could possibly come up when Paul Wesley makes his debut as James T. Kirk. Perhaps some of these moments will directly come into play during his run on the show, however long that may be.

Kirk Witnessed Atrocities Committed On Tarsus IV At A Young Age

While James T. Kirk was born on Earth, he spent some time elsewhere in his youth, Including Tarsus IV. That was especially important for Kirk’s development, as he witnessed a food shortage in his colony and the atrocious way one Governor Kodos hoped to solve it. Kodos, a eugenics sympathizer, decided to kill half of the “least desirable” 8,000 colonists to solve the problem. Kirk recalled in Star Trek ’s “Conscience of the King” that supply ships were close and that those people needn’t have died had Kodos known.

Kirk was one of nine survivors of that incident, and I can’t imagine that’s something that didn’t stick with him for the rest of his life. Of course, it’s a coin toss if it’ll come up in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds , as Kirk isn’t the star of the show, and there will only be so many moments where he can recall the past. I’d like to see that traumatizing memory play out in live-action, though, and how it shaped Kirk into the person he became.

He Became The First Cadet To Defeat The Kobayashi Maru

James T. Kirk defeating the Kobayashi Maru is, perhaps, about the most-cited fact I see fans make about the Star Trek captain from his pre- Enterprise days. The Kobayashi Maru, as Star Trek: Discovery and even Prodigy recently reminded fans, is an impossible test to beat by design. The true meaning of the test is to teach cadets that they’ll face no-win scenarios in their careers and must make the best possible choice given the situation. Kirk defeating the test is sometimes cited as an example of his excellence as a captain. 

We’re not here to debate that, but rather to explain how he beat the Kobayashi Maru. Kirk didn’t somehow outmaneuver the no-win scenario as some might assume. He revealed in Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan that he just secretly reprogrammed the test so he could win. That’s an important distinction to make, though it’s worth noting that it’s still impressive Kirk became the first to find a way to win.

Kirk Served Upon The USS Republic And Reported A Friend

Kirk didn’t just step out of Starfleet straight into command of the Enterprise . The future Captain had a few postings before he got to where he was on Star Trek , and one of his first was on the USS Republic . Kirk was still an ensign and joined alongside a former instructor and friend at Starfleet Academy, Lieutenant Benjamin Finney. Unfortunately, the tenure was notable for unfortunate reasons Kirk spoke about later, as he was forced to report a friend and halt his progress to promotion. 

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This is all revealed in the Star Trek episode “Court Marshall,” when Kirk is accused of killing Finney. Kirk revealed that when he served with Finney on the Republic , he nearly caused a catastrophe that would’ve destroyed the ship had Kirk not intervened. Kirk reported Finney, which ultimately sent Finney to the bottom of the promotion list, and Kirk surpassed him. The two ran into each other again, and Kirk didn’t kill him, so I’m unsure of whether or not this specific story will be recounted given the follow-up in the original series.

Kirk Taught At The Academy

Many people celebrate Kirk for his time in command, but there isn’t a lot of celebration for his stint teaching at Starfleet Academy. Kirk taught at the academy while he was a lieutenant in rank, as mentioned in Star Trek ’s “Where No Man Has Gone Before.” Unfortunately, there aren't a ton of details on this period of Kirk’s life, outside of a few romances. 

With that being said, Kirk’s time teaching at Starfleet Academy feels like uncharted territory for a series like Star Trek: Strange New Worlds to flesh out. If Captain Pike is still in charge of the Enterprise in Season 2, then this is definitely a part of Kirk's life that can not only be addressed, but further fleshed out for the lore.

Kirk Almost Got Married, And Had Other Romances

This is likely no surprise to Star Trek fans, but James T. Kirk had a handful of romances during his time at Starfleet Academy. Kirk revealed he nearly married an unnamed blonde lab technician in “Where No Man Has Gone Before.” We also know he had a romance with Janice Lester, a passionate lover he made mention of in “Turnabout Intruder.” 

James T. Kirk’s role in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is unknown, though one has to wonder if love is in the air for Kirk and any of the characters. It’s not like Kirk to not be known as a lover of ladies in Trek canon, so I’d be surprised if he doesn’t get close with at least one or two during his stint. 

Kirk Served Aboard The USS Farragut

Kirk also served aboard the USS Farragut before joining the Enterprise , which came along with its fair share of commendations. It also featured a pretty big event which resulted in Kirk surviving an incident that killed his captain, as well as 200 other crew members. 

Kirk faced off against a dikironium cloud creature (which might be present in the trailer for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds ), and as mentioned above, the encounter with it was a deadly undertaking. Kirk blamed himself for the incident (as mentioned in Star Trek ’s “Obsession"), but the general consensus was that he did the best he could. I’d imagine the encounter haunted him all the same, and we might see that if it happens fairly close to his time on Strange New Worlds . 

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds premieres on Paramount+ on Thursday, May 5th. Pick up a Paramount+ subscription to stream it, as well as all of the other upcoming Star Trek shows arriving in 2022 and beyond.  

Mick Joest is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend with his hand in an eclectic mix of television goodness. Star Trek is his main jam, but he also regularly reports on happenings in the world of Star Trek, WWE, Doctor Who, 90 Day Fiancé, Quantum Leap, and Big Brother. He graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Radio and Television. He's great at hosting panels and appearing on podcasts if given the chance as well.

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The brash James T. Kirk tries to live up to his father's legacy with Mr. Spock keeping him in check as a vengeful Romulan from the future creates black holes to destroy the Federation one pl... Read all The brash James T. Kirk tries to live up to his father's legacy with Mr. Spock keeping him in check as a vengeful Romulan from the future creates black holes to destroy the Federation one planet at a time. The brash James T. Kirk tries to live up to his father's legacy with Mr. Spock keeping him in check as a vengeful Romulan from the future creates black holes to destroy the Federation one planet at a time.

• J.J. Abrams
• Roberto Orci
• Alex Kurtzman
• Gene Roddenberry
• Zachary Quinto
• 1.6K User reviews
• 532 Critic reviews
• 82 Metascore
• 27 wins & 95 nominations total

• Spock Prime

• (as Zoë Saldana)

• Amanda Grayson

• George Kirk

• Winona Kirk

• Captain Robau

• Officer Pitts
• (as Antonio Elias)
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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• Trivia Simon Pegg did not audition for the role - he simply received an email from J.J. Abrams asking if he would like to play Scotty. Pegg said he would have done this for free, or even paid Abrams to be in this film, if he had not been offered a role.
• Goofs After Spock boards the Vulcan ship on board the mining vessel, Kirk is seen walking through some pipes. His Starfleet phaser has switched to a Romulan gun (longer barrel and no lights), before switching back to the Starfleet one again in the next scene. He actually acquires the Romulan gun a few scenes later.

Spock Prime : James T. Kirk!

James T. Kirk : Excuse me?

Spock Prime : How did you find me?

James T. Kirk : Whoa... how do you know my name?

Spock Prime : I have been and always shall be your friend.

James T. Kirk : Wha...

[shakes head]

James T. Kirk : Uh... look... I-I don't know you.

Spock Prime : I am Spock.

James T. Kirk : Bullshit.

• Crazy credits The first part of the closing credits is styled after the opening credits of Star Trek (1966) , where the starship Enterprise blasts off into space as a monologue describes its mission, and then the cast names appear as the famous "Star Trek" theme music plays.
• Connections Edited into De wereld draait door: Episode #4.157 (2009)
• Soundtracks Theme from 'Star Trek' TV Series Written by Alexander Courage & Gene Roddenberry

User reviews 1.6K

• briancham1994
• Aug 8, 2020
• If this premise is that an alternate timeline created when Nero traveled back in time, then what happened to James Kirk's older brother, Sam, aka George Samuel Kirk Jr.?
• How can Spock's mother still be alive years later (original series) when she dies earlier on in this movie ?
• What is Star Trek about?
• May 8, 2009 (United States)
• United States
• Official Facebook
• Star Trek: The Future Begins
• Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park - 10700 W. Escondido Canyon Rd., Agua Dulce, California, USA (Vulcan)
• Paramount Pictures
• Spyglass Entertainment
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $150,000,000 (estimated)
• $257,730,019
• $75,204,289
• May 10, 2009
• $385,681,768

Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours 7 minutes
• Dolby Digital
• 2.39 : 1 (original ratio)

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Star Trek's Enterprise Captains, Ranked From Worst To Best

With over a dozen movies and a growing number of television series, the  Star Trek  franchise boasts an impressive list of captains . And we're pretty confident that there isn't a single captain that at least one  Trek  fan doesn't call their favorite. After all, there are plenty of debates about whether Picard is better than Kirk, whether Janeway is better than Sisko, and so on and so forth. It's all subjective, and for the most part, it's all in good fun. 

But with so many captains now a part of the  Trek  universe, we thought we'd narrow in on a more specific question. Who are the best and worst captains of the many ships with the name of the vessel that started it all, the  Enterprise ? After all, we've been introduced to quite a few of them over the years, even beyond the more recognizable leads of Kirk, Picard, and Archer.

In order to answer this question, we're sticking to Enterprise  captains of the Prime  Star Trek timeline. That's not meant as disrespect to fans of the Kelvin timeline , but if we consider those captains, then we open it up to all the other alternate timeline  Enterprise  captains, like those from the Mirror Universe , from non-canonical media, and even that shaggy-bearded Will Riker from the Borg-ruled timeline in  The Next Generation 's ( TNG ) "Parallels." And since we don't have as much bandwidth as your average Starfleet supercomputer, we've got to make tough choices. 

John Harriman isn't ready for the challenge

In the opening scene of 1994's  Star Trek: Generations , we meet the bottom captain on our list — Captain John Harriman (Alan Ruck) of the Enterprise -B. The ship's maiden voyage is meant as little more than an opportunity to show off for the press, and to celebrate the occasion, James Kirk (William Shatner) and some of his retired officers are welcomed aboard as honored guests. Harriman only has a quick trip around Earth's solar system planned, but things get more complicated when they pick up a distress call from ships caught in a severe gravimetric distortion. 

Initially, Harriman tries to get another ship to answer the call, giving the excuse that this new Enterprise  lacks the crew and the outfitting. Pressured by the presence of the legendary Kirk and by the press, Harriman decides to get involved. Once arriving at the distortion causing all the trouble, Harriman is hesitant to get too close. Eventually, he swallows his pride and asks Kirk for his suggestions.

Now, we need to be fair to Harriman. Ultimately, he rises to the occasion, and it seems likely the experience will make him a better captain. Also, canonically speaking, this is the only scene in which we get the chance to judge him. Still, even with these considerations, it's impossible to imagine some of the more well-known  Enterprise  captains acting quite so skittish or indecisive, even during their first time in the big chair.

Edward Jellico is too narrow-minded to captain the Enterprise

Ronny Cox has the distinction of not only appearing on one of Star Trek: The Next Generation 's most beloved two-parters — season 6's "Chain of Command" — but of playing one of the franchise's most hated captains. Captain Edward Jellico transfers from the USS Cairo  to the  Enterprise  in order to replace Jean-Luc Picard (Sir Patrick Stewart) indefinitely. The change is made so Jellico can conduct negotiations with the Cardassians while Picard is sent on what some believe is a suicide mission.

A lot of the fan hatred for Jellico can be boiled down to the fact that he's the new guy. For example, two moments that irk fans are when he orders Livingston, Picard's pet fish , removed from the Ready Room and when he insists Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) start wearing her uniform on the bridge. While, yes, these are big changes, they aren't unreasonable ones. Honestly, it makes you wonder why Troi has gotten a pass as far as uniforms are concerned all this time.

Where Jellico really does deserve some of the fan rejection is his unwillingness to listen to his officers, particularly when it comes to Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes). It's part of the first officer's job to discreetly express any concerns to the captain about their orders. But Jellico treats any questioning from Riker like a full-blown mutiny. Thankfully, Picard survives his mission and resumes command of the Enterprise . 

Will Decker is a good man who doesn't get much of a chance

Will Decker (Stephen Collins) gets a raw deal in 1979's  Star Trek: The Motion Picture . After James Kirk completes his five-year mission, he recommends Decker to be his successor as captain of the  Enterprise . But Decker doesn't get very long to enjoy his promotion. Instead, he oversees the refit of the  Enterprise , only to have his rank abruptly taken away from him.

In the beginning of the film, Kirk — now an admiral — gets himself back in the  Enterprise 's chair when a powerful space-borne "intruder" is detected heading toward Earth. While it's clear that there's some validity to Kirk's experience making him the best choice for this particular job, it's just as obvious that he's unhappy behind a desk and is using the situation as an opportunity to get himself back in the thick of things. 

While we never get to see much of Decker as a captain, he takes his demotion just about as well as anyone could. He still serves aboard the ship and even saves it a couple of times during the journey to intercept the intruder, which eventually turns out to be an evolved Voyager probe originally sent from Earth in the 20th century. Decker volunteers to become one with the intruder — which calls itself V'ger. Clearly heroic and willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good, Decker would probably have a higher spot on this list if he'd had more time in the captain's chair.

Robert April deserves his accolades

Perhaps one of the lesser-known  Enterprise  captains is Robert April ( voiced by James Doohan ), who precedes both Kirk and Christopher Pike as captain of the  Enterprise . He only has one canonical appearance — in the  Star Trek: The Animated Series  season 2 episode "The Counter-Clock Incident" – and it's set long after most of his  Enterprise  missions. Regardless, the story gives us a good idea of what kind of captain April must've been.

In "The Counter-Clock Incident," April and his wife, Sarah, are in their 70s and aboard the Kirk-commanded  Enterprise  as passengers on their way to the planet Babel, where April is meant to be honored on the occasion of his mandatory retirement. On the way there, the ship is caught in a negative universe, and in order to escape, the ship needs to travel to a dead star ... which causes everyone on the ship to age backwards. Eventually the entire regular crew is so young that completing or even understanding their tasks aboard the Enterprise  is impossible. It's only because of the younger but still adult April and his wife that the  Enterprise  escapes the negative universe intact. 

April's relatively low spot on our list is mainly because we don't get much time to see him. Considering it's said he's one of the most decorated officers in Starfleet, he'd probably rate a higher spot if we had the chance to watch his canonical adventures.

Rachel Garrett gives everything for the Federation

In the season 3  TNG  episode "Yesterday's Enterprise," we meet the only woman to be appointed captain of the  Enterprise who's been revealed thus far. Tricia O'Neil plays Rachel Garrett, captain of the  Enterprise -C, who finds herself and her ship transported to a bleak future. Responding to a distress call from a Klingon outpost, Captain Garrett faces off against four Romulan warbirds. The exchange of fire causes a temporal rift, sending the  Enterprise -C over 20 years into the future, where Starfleet is fighting a losing war against the Klingon Empire. 

While we only get this one episode to see Garrett's leadership, it doesn't take long before her quality as a captain is obvious. While she's just as shocked as anyone would be about being hurled decades into the future, she doesn't let it interfere with her duty. She immediately sets to repairing the  Enterprise -C to help with the war effort, including refusing Dr. Crusher's (Gates McFadden) insistence that she rest in Enterprise -D's sick bay. 

Once Captain Picard makes it clear the best way Garrett can help is to return to her time — something that will almost certainly mean the death of her and her crew, considering the Romulan firepower waiting for them — she accepts her fate and that of her ship. Unfortunately, Garrett doesn't make it back to the past. She's killed during a Klingon attack, forcing her first officer to step in.

Christopher Pike is one of the Enterprise's best

Captain Christopher Pike has been played by more actors on TV than any other Enterprise captain. The first actor to play him was Jeffrey Hunter in the  Star Trek: The Original Series  pilot episode, "The Cage," and in flashbacks in the two-parter "The Menagerie." Sean Kenney plays the chair-bound version of Pike in "The Menagerie," and Anson Mount plays him in the second season of  Star Trek: Discovery .

Ironically, in spite of so many actors playing him, we actually haven't seen him as an Enterprise  captain much. There's his time as captain in "The Cage," but for most of  Discovery 's second season, he's captaining the titular ship rather than the  Enterprise . However, he does return to the  Enterprise  in  Discovery 's two-part season 2 finale, and he'll reportedly reprise the role in the upcoming  Star Trek: Strange New Worlds .

However, we still have a good idea of what kind of  Enterprise  captain Pike was. He performs just as well or better than most captains in "The Cage," and while it may not be the  Enterprise  he's captaining for most of his time on  Discovery , it's a good bet he's just as solid and courageous in the face of danger and mind-bending discoveries on the bridge of the  Enterprise . Not to mention that — as is revealed in "The Menagerie" — we know the crippling injuries he eventually suffers are the result of Pike sacrificing his own safety to save a ship full of Starfleet cadets. 

Will Riker defeats the Federation's worst enemy

There are plenty of moments in both the  TNG  TV series and the  TNG  era of films in which Will Riker takes over the bridge from Captain Picard. For example, Riker is in charge during the battle that ultimately destroys the Enterprise -D in Star Trek: Generations , and he also takes command when the Enterprise -E races to warn the Federation of the villains' plans in 1998's Star Trek: Insurrection . But no single story more clearly proves Riker's worth as an Enterprise captain than the events of one of the best  TNG two-parters, "The Best of Both Worlds," which bridges the series' third and fourth seasons. 

Ironically, Riker is wrestling with why he keeps turning down promotions when one is thrust upon him. When Captain Picard is kidnapped by the Borg and assimilated into their collective, Riker is given a field promotion to captain and names Commander Shelby (Elizabeth Dennehy) as his first officer. In spite of the assimilated Picard — now calling himself "Locutus of Borg" — having intimate knowledge of Riker's personality and tactics, Riker manages to outmaneuver the Borg, catch them off balance, and save both Picard and the Federation from assimilation.

"The Best of Both Worlds" makes it clear that — while no one would want to see Picard taken away from the Enterprise  – Riker could've taken his mentor's place permanently, if necessary.

Spock becomes a better captain over time

Along with multiple instances of Spock (Leonard Nimoy) taking charge of the Enterprise in Star Trek: The Original Series , he takes the reins completely a couple of times in the films. Spock is the captain of an  Enterprise  mostly full of trainees between the events of  Star Trek: The Motion Picture  and 1982's Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan . He also takes command in 1991's  Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country after Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) are arrested by the Klingons. 

We don't get to see much of Spock as a captain in between the first two Trek movies, but the fact that his trainees manage to help the Enterprise  survive what proves to be one of their deadliest duels in Wrath of Khan  is evidence of his worth as a teacher. And it's difficult to imagine anyone else being able to prove Kirk and McCoy's innocence as Spock does in  Star Trek VI . 

If it weren't for Spock's evolution as a character, he might find himself a bit lower on our list. In early commands Spock enjoys during the original series — such as his time trying to save his shuttle crew in "The Galileo Seven" — Spock's overreliance on logic makes it difficult for him to serve as an effective leader. But by  Star Trek VI ,   he's learned, as he tells Kim Cattrall's Lt. Valeris, that "logic is the beginning of wisdom" and "not the end."

Jonathan Archer was a trailblazer

By the time Star Trek: Enterprise started showing us the adventures of Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula), there had been five other  Star Trek  series and nine movies, all taking place chronologically  after  the events of  Enterprise . So most fans watching  Enterprise  for the first time had already seen the experiences of captains like Kirk, Picard, Janeway, etc., and as such, some of the decisions Archer makes can seem insane .

For example, take the episode "Strange New World." When T'Pol (Jolene Blalock) warns caution before sending crew members to explore a planet that no human has set foot on before, Archer and some of the other bridge officers laugh at her concerns. When you see something like that, it's tough to ignore about a million and a half situations in Star Trek  that would make Archer want to punch himself for laughing. 

In light of this, Archer sometimes comes off as less than his future counterparts, but you have to remember that while the idea of going where "no one has gone before" is often (but not always) hyperbole in the case of future captains, it's much more literal in Archer's case. Until the very end of Enterprise , the United Federation of Planets doesn't even exist. Archer makes long lists of mistakes, but he does it because he goes down paths no other human has trod before. And like the best captains of  Trek , he does it with passion and stubborn idealism.

James T. Kirk is the Enterprise captain all others are judged against

For those more used to later captains like Picard and Janeway, James T. Kirk makes some decisions that are mind-boggling. For example, while later captains would take great pains to protect the integrity of the timeline, when Kirk beams a 20th-century fighter pilot aboard the  Enterprise in "Tomorrow is Yesterday," you practically expect him to give the guy a tour of the ship. And you would rarely expect the kind of vengeance in other captains that you see in Kirk as he pursues the Gorn in "Arena." And no Starfleet captain makes quite as many mistakes due to the "feminine wiles" of antagonists as Kirk does.

But then, there are the great moments in  Trek  that no other captain could've achieved. Kirk makes it possible for peace to be made with the Klingons in  Star Trek VI , which has far-reaching consequences in the franchise's continuing narrative. Plus, he stops the Romulans from seeing the Federation as easy prey and gives them a couple bloody noses in the meantime. 

At heart, Kirk is more of a pure adventurer than just about any other captain in the franchise, but he doesn't shirk his duty. And sometimes, his less civilized side makes him a better captain. Whether you like him or not, you have to admit that when he tells Picard in Generations , "I was out saving the galaxy when your grandfather was in diapers," there isn't a single lie in his mouth.

Jean-Luc Picard is the best the Enterprise has ever known

Probably no two  Star Trek captains are weighed against each other more often than Kirk and Picard. Picard is often treated as a more timid, snootier answer to his predecessor, but those comparisons aren't fair. Yes, Picard certainly is older than Kirk was when he took over the  Enterprise , and his overall affect feels more intellectual. But when you actually consider his actions, Picard is no diplomatic shadow of Kirk. 

Sure, he's not quite as brash, but that doesn't stop him from going against Starfleet's orders when he feels it's necessary, like when he ignores their insistence that he stay out of the fight with the Borg in  First Contact  or when he disobeys Admiral Dougherty's (Anthony Zerbe) orders in  Insurrection . He's just as passionate about meeting the unknown as Kirk, but that passion is tempered with experience. While he's often portrayed as being more academic, that isn't a weakness. It's in part Picard's education that makes him the only captain who could defend Data as well as he does in "The Measure of a Man" — or, for that matter, himself in "The Drumhead." And it also helps him to keep saying no when more quick-tempered crew members like Worf want to arm photon torpedoes every time they meet someone new. 

Overall, no other  Enterprise  captain has matched the perfect balance of sophistication, intellect, passion, and unmovable idealism as Sir Patrick Stewart's portrayal of Captain Jean-Luc Picard. That's why there can be no other choice for the top spot of  Star Trek 's  Enterprise  captains.

Star Trek: 8 Impressive Things Kirk Did Before Joining The USS Enterprise

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Star Trek: Spock's Best Quotes From The Original Series, Ranked

Star trek: 6 best planets to live on, star trek: kirk's biggest mistakes & failures.

• James T. Kirk faced near-death from a deadly alien disease but survived, which later became relevant during the Enterprise's mission.
• Kirk interfered with the Prime Directive on the planet Neural to prevent conflict with the Klingons, building on his previous connection with the planet.
• Kirk's diplomatic work at Axanar and his participation in the Vulcanian Expedition laid the foundation for his future success in Starfleet.

James T. Kirk is perhaps Star Trek 's most famous figure, having earned a place in the pop culture canon partly due to the character's intrepid nature and partly due to William Shatner's charismatic (if hammy) performance. Kirk is best known for captaining the Enterprise during the ship's five-year mission, as dramatized in Star Trek : The Original Series , as well as his camaraderie with the half-Vulcan Spock.

Star Trek: What Happened to Thomas Riker?

William Riker was Captain Picard's well-known Number One, but he wasn't the only William Riker in Star Trek.

However, while Kirk's career is defined by his time aboard the Enterprise , he achieved a great deal before ever setting foot aboard the Constitution -class starship. From surviving massacres to beating Starfleet Academy at its own game, Captain Kirk's early career is well worth exploring.

8 Recovering From A Deadly Disease

Contracting vegan choriomeningitis.

Space is full of dangerous things, from weird anomalies to marauding alien civilizations. Yet, as H.G. Wells showed in his 1898 novel The War of the Worlds , bacteria and viruses can be just as deadly as phasers and photon torpedoes. A young James T. Kirk nearly suffered a premature demise after contracting Vegan choriomeningitis. This deadly alien disease often killed sufferers within 24 hours; as such, Kirk was lucky to survive.

This early life experience proved relevant during the Enterprise 's five-year mission when the rulers of the planet Gideon used the disease (of which Kirk was still a carrier) to lower the number of people on their overcrowded planet, thus solving (albeit ghoulishly) the problem of overpopulation.

7 Mission to Neural

As a lieutenant, kirk interfered with the prime directive.

The planet Neural plays a key role in the episode "A Private Little War", in which Kirk works to prevent a Klingon incursion on the alien world from resulting in a full-blown conflict with the Federation. Although the Prime Directive advises non-interference, the Enterprise is forced to provide technology to the natives in order to balance out the Klingons' prior meddling.

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While the number of recurring characters in the Star Trek mythos is too many to count, these characters vanished entirely, never to be seen again.

Yet Kirk's connection to Neural predates this mission by over a decade, as the captain visited the planet while still a lieutenant and befriended some of its primitive inhabitants. This earlier expedition allowed him to forge links with key local figures that proved essential in undoing the harm caused by the Klingons during his second visit.

6 Diplomacy At Axanar

Awarded The Prestigious Palm Leaf Of Axanar

Since the first reference to Axanar early in The Original Series , the planet and its history have taken on a life of their own. A later episode, "Whom Gods Destroy" , mentioned the Battle of Axanar, an event still shrouded in mystery, while community-led attempts to dramatize this epic confrontation in an ambitious project resulted in Paramount and CBS clamping down on unauthorized fan-films in 2015.

However, Kirk's part in Axanar's story is less ambiguous. While still a cadet at Starfleet Academy, he took part in a peace mission to Axanar, earning the prestigious Palm Leaf of Axanar commendation as a result. While a footnote in Kirk's record, his diplomatic work at Axanar laid the foundation for his future success in Starfleet.

5 Participating In The Vulcanian Expedition

Kirk's pre-enterprise career spans to diplomatic vulcan territory.

Kirk's role in the Vulcanian Expedition is first mentioned in the TOS episode "Court Martial", an episode centered upon Kirk's past actions coming back to haunt him. However, while the eponymous court martial focuses on a blemish upon Kirk's record, the Vulcanian Expedition appears to have been a significant achievement.

Spock is one of Star Trek's most iconic characters, and these quotes are a big reason why.

Nonetheless, the details of this mission are contradictory. Star Trek 's expanded universe novels cast some light on the subject, with one source suggesting that the expedition was intended to pressure the pacifist Vulcans into participating in Starfleet's defensive strategy, while a more recent novel depicted it as a long-term joint exploration by Starfleet vessels and the Vulcan Expeditionary Group. While the exact nature of the Vulcanian Expedition remains unclear, it's evident that it was a notable chapter in Kirk's pre- Enterprise career.

4 Choosing Duty Over Friendship

Kirk's life changed when he reported finney.

While Kirk is willing to bend the rules to get what he wants, he appears to broadly respect what both the Federation and Starfleet stand for and is interested in their continued success. This attitude was demonstrated early in his career when he chose to report a friend, Finney, whose mistake had endangered their starship. Kirk received some backlash for this decision, resulting in a vendetta that Finney would pursue for many years.

Indeed, Finney later faked his own death in an attempt to have Kirk court-martialed for negligent behavior, although this ruse was soon discovered, leading to Kirk's complete exoneration. However, his relationship with Finney proved far more difficult to mend.

3 Surviving A Genocide

The purge of tarsus 4.

"The Conscience of the King" sees Kirk coming face to face with Kodos the Executioner, the man responsible for a massacre on one of the planets where he grew up. Kodos earned his grimly appropriate nickname by killing most of the population on Tarsus 4 when it appeared that a breakdown in food shipments would lead to mass starvation. However, the shipments did arrive, and Kodos's bloodbath was ultimately pointless.

However, while the villain's strategy was misplaced, his purge was nonetheless efficient. Kirk managed to survive the massacre and was able to make Kodos pay for his actions when he rediscovered the criminal living under a false name twenty years later. Unfortunately, thousands of the colony's other inhabitants were not so lucky.

2 Becoming Starfleet's Youngest Ever First Officer

Success aboard the uss farragut.

Kirk's meteoric journey from Starfleet Academy to the captain's chair of two successive Enterprise s had many twists and turns along the way, but it's safe to say that it was an ascent of unparalleled speed. Kirk took command of the Enterprise in his early thirties, due in part to his earlier success as a first officer aboard the USS Farragut . Kirk was the youngest first officer in Starfleet history, a title previously held by his father.

Of all the planets visited in Star Trek's history, these places would make for the best locations to settle down on.

Admittedly, Kirk was only interested in progressing so far up the career ladder ( several Star Trek movies depict his issues with being promoted beyond captaincy and into more desk-bound jobs), but the promise shown early in his Starfleet service demonstrated Kirk's limitless potential when it came to serving the Federation.

1 Beating The Kobayashi Maru Test

Kirk reprogrammed starfleet's impossible-to-win simulation.

The infamous Kobayashi Maru Test challenges Starfleet cadets to solve a tough tactical problem: a stricken ship in the Neutral Zone is requesting assistance, but attempting to help will invoke the wrath of the Klingons, resulting in a fatal battle. The simulation is not just intended to be difficult, but rather completely impossible, with the aim being to introduce trainee officers to the prospect of a no-win scenario.

However, Kirk was able to reprogram the simulation in order to produce a favorable result, thus earning a commendation for original thinking and inflating his ego to dangerous levels. This cockiness would come back to bite him: his trickery, while technically intelligent, left him psychologically unprepared to face a real no-win scenario, an event that would occur many decades later—with devastating consequences.

Even though Kirk is one of the best Starfleet captains in the Star Trek franchise, he still made fatal mistakes amid his sterling successes.

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Why Patrick Stewart had the way Captain Picard's brother died in Star Trek: Generations changed

S tar Trek: Generations opened with both a triumph and a tragedy for the crew of the Enterprise as Worf is promoted to lieutenant commander and Captain Picard learns that his brother and nephew have died in a fire. It's not until later that he has the conversation with Counselor Troi that reveals the true depth of his pain with the realization the Picard family line would not continue. And he was the one who'd asked for such a horrible fate to befall his character's family.

Recorded in The Fifty-Year Mission The Next 25 Years From The Next Generation to J.J. Abrams, Ronald D. Moore said that originally they [Rick Berman, Brannon Braga, and Moore] had written that Robert Picard had died of a heart attack in his vineyard. The scene were Picard learns about his brother's death was poignantly painful as he realizes that he could battle the biggest foes in the galaxy, but death was the enemy he couldn't fight.

I can fight off the Klingons, and I can do this and that, but there is one enemy out there waiting for me that's going to get me eventually. It gets everybody, no matter what kind of job they have.Unused line for Captain PIcard

Stewart had his own idea about how the death of both his brother and his nephew would impact him when he realized not only had he lost them both, but the Picard family line ended with him. So wanted a "tragic, horrible death."

And it should be a tragic, horrible death. If the captain is going to react in a way he's never reacted before, this one better really hit him between the eyes. You know, burn him to death.Patrick Stewart

And the scene where Picard broke down was emotionally impactful and one of the best of Star Trek: Generations. In a film that included the unwelcome and decidedly unheroic death of Captain Kirk, we get this beautiful piece of acting by both Patrick Stewart and Marina Sirtis. It ties in wonderfully with Star Trek: Picard when Picard learns that he has a son as all of us remembered how devastated there would never be another Picard. Even though Jack Crusher didn't go by the Picard family name, he was still a part of the familial line, and who knows? One day, he might even add his father's last name to his own.

This article was originally published on redshirtsalwaysdie.com as Why Patrick Stewart had the way Captain Picard's brother died in Star Trek: Generations changed .

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Star Trek needs less logic and more crying

Thankfully, Star Trek: Discovery is doing just that

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“Who do we want to be?”

Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) poses that question to the United Federation of Planets council at the climax of “… But to Connect,” the seventh episode of Star Trek: Discovery ’s fourth season. The council has convened to address the presence of a new species whose arrival in the galaxy has planet-destroying consequences, perhaps intentionally. Some council members consider an aggressive response, but Burnham urges diplomacy, recognizing a unique first contact opportunity.

Disagreements such as these are hardly new to Star Trek. In fact, the paradigmatic Star Trek scene involves a group of people peacefully debating possible complicated issues. But Discovery takes a decidedly unique approach to this trope. The camera glides around Burnham as she speaks, capturing every creased brow and pleading smile, underscoring her feelings even more than her words. Martin-Green pours herself into the moment, lowering her voice to a whisper when being sincere and raising it an octave when marshaling hope. She finishes the speech a near wreck, barely fighting back tears.

For its detractors, scenes like this are everything wrong with the series. Over its 3 ½ seasons, Discovery has established itself as the most openly emotional Star Trek series, in which characters talk about their trauma, give each other meaningful hugs, and shed tears in nearly every episode. Discovery explores pathos more thoroughly than any other series in the franchise. In doing so, it underscores an important aspect of humanity, one too often downplayed by the franchise.

Michael Burnham is hardly the first Trek character to shed tears on the final frontier. After all, who can forget William Shatner stifling a cry during Captain Kirk’s eulogy for Spock (Leonard Nimoy) in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan ?

Right from the start of Star Trek, Doctor McCoy (DeForest Kelley) was there at Kirk’s side, countering Spock’s cold logic with a passionate outburst. Many of the all-time best Star Trek episodes mine the emotional core of their characters, letting them be messy and human instead of demanding that they adhere to logic in every moment. The Deep Space Nine episode “ The Visitor ” captures the longing and joy Jake Sisko feels as he grows to an adult, only seeing his time-displaced father in short intervals every few years, while the bittersweet final moments in the life of George Kirk reverberate not only throughout 2009’s Star Trek , but all three reboot films.

But as powerful as these moments may be, Trek usually treats empathy as a challenge, a problem to overcome for the greater good. Take the classic episode “ The City on the Edge of Forever ”, in which a delusional McCoy disrupts the timestream, inadvertently preventing the death of social worker Edith Keeler, thus allowing her to found a humanitarian movement. But her work has the unintended consequence of delaying the U.S. entry into World War II, which allows the Nazis to kill far more people than they otherwise would have. As Spock describes it in his characteristically blunt manner, “Edith Keeler must die.”

To be sure, the death scene honors the pain and sorrow Kirk feels as he prevents McCoy from saving Keeler. But the message is clear: Because the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, Kirk’s emotions take a back seat to demands of logic.

Similar plots reoccur throughout the franchise, a fact that can be traced back to Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. Roddenberry imagined an ideal future for humanity , which had evolved past issues such as capitalism or racism and sexism. While Roddenberry didn’t explicitly outlaw emotion, he did reject plots that dealt with emotional issues, including interpersonal conflict, irrational responses to trauma, and grieving death. In a world where everyone could heal themselves and survive without struggle, he thought, logic would — and should — always win out.

Even when Trek series attend to the feelings, they either mishandle it or lose interest. As an empath and ship counselor, Deanna Troi seemed primed to fill the McCoy role on The Next Generation ( TNG ) , but the writers too often relegated her to describing other characters’ obvious feelings. By the time Voyager ’s Neelix matured from a manipulative coward into an empathetic morale officer, the show had turned its attention to hologram The Doctor and ex-Borg Seven of Nine. The same problem plagues Enterprise ’s genial Captain Archer, who was often overshadowed by the Vulcan T’Pol.

After Roddenberry died, the Star Trek shows were able to let emotions build up more throughout their shows. Deep Space Nine let its protagonists carry traumas and have romances. It even takes a nuanced look at the feelings associated with 20th-century racism (“ Far Beyond the Stars ”) and PTSD (“ It’s Only a Paper Moon ”).

The other three current ongoing Trek series each embrace emotion more consistently than their predecessors. Picard uses audience nostalgia for the title character as a contrast to Starfleet’s callous bureaucracy, while the young Delta Quadrant outcasts in Prodigy bubble over with childlike wonder as they become the crew of the abandoned USS Protostar. Lower Decks finds comedy not just in references to the goofier parts of Trek lore, but also in the foibles of its neurotic ensigns.

In each case, these series work precisely because it counters the franchise’s usual focus on logic over emotion. Picard becomes the principled leader that we know from TNG when he defies the Federation pragmatism to help synthetics by assembling a new crew. As much as Holographic Janeway tries to get the Prodigy kids in shape, the pleasure of the series comes from watching them learn how to make Starfleet regulations meaningful for themselves. Lower Deck s is funny precisely because its characters undercut the standard image of the constantly professional Starfleet officer. But because these series go in a new direction with its characters, they end up being exceptions that prove the rule. Picard’s rag-tag crew, the kids on the USS Protostar, and the Lower Decks goofballs indulge their feelings; members of the real, proper Starfleet do not.

Of the current ongoing Star Trek series, these “real, proper” Starfleet personnel can only be found on Discovery . And in many ways, the actions of Captain Burnham and her crew carry more weight than those of even Enterprise Captains Kirk or Picard, as the USS Discovery-A plays a central role in rebuilding the United Federation of Planets in the 32nd century. It’s a flagship vessel, both for the show and the greater series. Viewers have to take notice when Discovery breaks from the standard Star Trek portrayal of human emotion.

One of the clearest examples of the difference in Trek’s approach to emotional issues can be found in the season 2 TNG episode “ The Measure of a Man .” Taking the form of a courtroom drama, the episode centers around a debate about Commander Data’s personhood status, prompted when Starfleet defines him as mere property. Captain Picard argues for Data’s sentience, while Commander Riker has been ordered by Judge Advocate General Phillipa Louvois to contend that Data is property, fit for experimentation by Commander Bruce Maddox.

Unruly feelings abound: Riker feels guilty for prosecuting his crewmate, Picard and Phillipa Louvois have complicated feelings from a past romance, and Maddox has aspirations for his experiments. During the trial, Picard passionately states his case, with Patrick Stewart bringing Shakespearean gravitas to the speeches he delivers. “Starfleet was founded to seek out new life,” he declares in his booming baritone, pointing at Data; “ Well, there it sits! ”

But while Picard states his case lovingly and movingly, it’s a fundamentally logical argument that he wins with. If Starfleet defines life according to forms it knows and if Starfleet exists to seek out new forms of life, then it must alter its definition according to those new forms. Moreover, everyone involved must overcome their own emotions to accept Picard’s claim. Arguably the first great episode of TNG , “The Measure of a Man” chrystialized the focus on logic found in TOS and the early movies. From that episode forward, Trek would make explicit what was often implied: evolved humans do not use feelings to solve their problems.

The Discovery episode “ …But to Connect ” has clear parallels to “The Measure of a Man,” but the more recent episode emphasizes feelings over reason. Once again, the characters debate the distinction between personhood and property when Discovery’s computer Zora gains sentience, and Adira even echoes Picard when they call Zora an “entirely new lifeform.” But while there is certainly a logical structure to the various positions, director Lee Rose focuses on emotions. Arguing they should follow Starfleet protocol and put Zora into a new form, Stamets recounts the fear and mistrust he feels when she refuses a direct order from Captain Burnham to protect the crew. Contending that Zora should stay in Discovery, Adira and Gray relate their own feelings of rejection and acceptance for failing to fit social standards. Even Zora describes her affinity toward the crew and her worries for their safety.

In fact, Zora and her supporters win the debate not with a steel-tight syllogism, but with an ethos appeal. While investigating Zora’s memory structure, Adira finds a new section, which they identify as Zora’s subconscious. Within this field are images of Discovery ’s crew, connecting with and caring for one another. In part, this fact wins over Stamets and Kovich because the existence of a subconscious means that Zora cannot be considered artificial intelligence. But as the music and camera movements make clear, empathy for Zora drives Stamets’ decision.

For some of Discovery ’s critics, this plot resolves too easily, the equivalent of “hugging it out” instead of facing the issue (if they apply the same level of rigor to the fallacies in “The Measure of a Man”, I cannot say). But that reading misplaces the focus of the Zora debate. The goal of the debate isn’t to comb through legal proceedings, but to allow the participants to have their feelings recognized and validated. “It feels marvelous … Being seen,” Zora says after her official status is changed.

In these scenes, Discovery revises the utopian future that has always been at the heart of Star Trek. The humans of the future reach their best selves not by overcoming their emotions, but by recognizing them and caring for them, in themselves and others. Discovery insists that empathy is an effective way to seek out new life and new civilizations.

Michael Burnham asks the Federation council “Who do we want to be?” Discovery answers, boldly, firmly — and, yes, tearfully — “Fully human, both logical and emotional.”

Star Trek: Discovery tore itself apart for the good of Star Trek’s future

Star trek: discovery boldly goes where no trek has gone before by saying religion is... ok, actually, star trek: discovery is cracking open a box next gen closed on purpose.

'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Season 2 Review: The Enterprise Crew Is Back and Bolder Than Ever

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'Orphan Black: Echoes' Review: A Soulless Clone of the Original

'bridgerton' season 3 episode 5 recap: mirror, mirror on the wall, 'bridgerton' season 3 episode 7 recap: got a secret, can you keep it.

Star Trek has a long and storied history of boldly going to new and glorious heights in the sci-fi genre, and Strange New Worlds Season 2 is set to do just that with the show's return. The prequel series debuted last year with a spectacular first season following Captain Christopher Pike ( Anson Mount ) and the crew of the USS Enterprise, roughly a decade before the events of The Original Series , and the first six episodes of Season 2 are even bigger and better than that strong start.

The first half of Strange New Worlds Season 2 takes full advantage of the series' episodic storytelling to offer up unique and captivating one-hour adventures. In Season 2, every episode feels like its own mini-movie, optimizing the show's streaming runtime and covering every genre from tense courtroom drama to romantic comedies through a brilliant Star Trek lens. With Strange New Worlds , no two episodes are alike in a way that allows the show to feel extremely fresh and wildly entertaining from week to week. The characters themselves are consistent, and the shifting genres and storylines allow the actors to flex their range.

Though each episode is fairly self-contained, Season 2 also does a great job of picking up the threads left dangling after Season 1 as well as some from Season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery . We learn where La'an's ( Christina Chong ) journey with the little girl they rescued takes her, and Una's (Romijn) Starfleet trial is on par with classic episodes like The Next Generation 's "Measure of a Man." Spock's unruly human emotions are a running thread that leads to some incredible comedic work from Ethan Peck as well as some delightful Original Series references. While Pike missed the Klingon war, there are members of his crew who certainly did not, and it's quite compelling to see the other side of that coin. The first episode of the season also features a dedication that will no doubt conjure emotions from longtime fans.

RELATED: 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds' Season 2: Celia Rose Gooding & Melissa Navia Reveal Their Favorite Episode

'Strange New Worlds' Season 2 Revels in the Power of Possibility

In Season 2, the Enterprise has gained a new crew member in the form of the legendary Carol Kane . Her energy invokes classic Star Trek while simultaneously feeling like something entirely unique within the franchise. The way by which she joins the crew of the Enterprise is equal parts unexpected and delightful, as she comes in to fill the role of Chief Engineer left open after the tragic passing of Hemmer ( Bruce Horak ) in Season 1. The playfully chaotic nature she brings is a marked difference from his stoic pacifism.

In each episode she's featured in, Kane gets to play into her comedy skills opposite some of the Enterprise's most straight-laced characters including Spock, La'an, and Una. Pairing her up with these characters is brilliant, and it makes for some true television magic each time. She's completely compelling, and you can't help but fall in love with Pelia's mischievous energy immediately. Strange New Worlds weaves in a fascinating backstory for her akin to The Next Generation 's Guinan ( Whoopi Goldberg ), making her one of the best new additions to the franchise in quite some time.

Of the returning cast, Peck is certainly the strongest stand-out, as he really gets to inject an impressive amount of nuance into his performance that would make Leonard Nimoy proud. Though Vulcans are known for suppressing their emotions, Peck really digs into his younger version of Spock's human nature through triumph, heartache, and even comedy. There are also more notes of romantic tension between Spock and Chapel ( Jess Bush ) and while it's true to The Original Series , Christine's story does suffer a little from primarily being about her love interest. However, she still earns several kick-ass scenes, particularly in the first episode of the season with Doctor M'Benga ( Babs Olusanmokun ), and she never loses her agency both on her own and in regard to Spock.

Mount and Romijn's Captain/First Officer dynamic feels richer and more lived in. There's a strong sense of the shared history between their characters, and they're both able to find a balance of emotional honesty and humor in their roles as the mom and dad of the ship. Mount's performance in particular makes Pike one of the best Starfleet captains to ever grace the bridge of the Enterprise. His good-natured Boy Scout instincts are still present, but he also gets to show a propensity for darkness that proves how deliberate his choice to lead with kindness and gentility really is. Meanwhile, the revelation of Una's Illyrian heritage allows her a new level of comfort aboard the Enterprise and a new level of camaraderie with the crew — but don't worry, she's still a stickler for protocol, which allows her to bump up against Kane's Pelia in very fun ways. Celia Rose Gooding does really fantastic work with Uhura once again, embodying the classic character while adding profound new layers of depth and emotion to her backstory. There's also more great character work and history for Melissa Navia 's swashbuckling helmsman Erica Ortegas, including more of the "why" behind Ortegas' dedication to her crew.

As teased in the trailer for Season 2, there is an episode in which La'an and Kirk ( Paul Wesley ) encounter a bit of time travel, and while saying anything more would venture too deeply into spoiler territory, it is easily one of the best Star Trek episodes I've ever seen. While many fans initially voiced concerns that Wesley's Kirk would take over the series following his appearance in the Season 1 finale , Season 2 does a great job of utilizing the character in a guest capacity that complements the Strange New Worlds crew beautifully. Wesley's Kirk is a near-perfect hybrid of the Kirks that came before him, blending inspiration from William Shatner and Chris Pine while putting his own twist on the character in a way that proves he's the right pick for this role.

As far as relationship dynamics and creating a satisfying balance for the show's stacked ensemble of characters, Season 2 improves upon the groundwork laid by the first season. Each of the connections established in Season 1 comes back in ways that move these characters forward, and each episode shifts the spotlight between various members of the crew in a way that doesn't leave anyone standing in the dark. The strength of the show's cast takes center stage right from the start of Season 2, as Pike and Una are pulled away into the storyline reserved for the second episode and Spock leads the rest of the crew on an absolute thrill ride in their absence. The only drawback here is that Strange New Worlds Season 2 only clocks in at 10 episodes, which feels like an insufficient amount of time with this story and these characters.

The Enterprise Can't Go to Warp Without an Outstanding Crew

This review would be incomplete without taking a moment to praise the incredible people behind these episodes : the writers. Strange New Worlds ' episodic nature allows for a variety of writers to tell vastly different stories. Showrunners Henry Alonso Myers and Akiva Goldsman pen the premiere, which takes fans on a daring adventure that will have hearts pounding through its thrilling climax. Dana Horgan tackles the resolution to Una's fate in Starfleet in Episode 2 through a riveting courtroom drama. While I can't say much about the plot of the remaining episodes yet, David Reed who has also worked on The Magicians and The Boys , also delivers phenomenal work.

Other returning Strange New Worlds writers include Davy Perez , Bill Wolkoff , and Onitra Johnson . Johnson penned Season 1's acclaimed fairytale episode , while Perez was behind La'an's gorn backstory and Hemmer's farewell , and Wolkoff wrote some of Season 1's most tense moral quandaries. Kirsten Beyer , who has penned several beta canon Star Trek novels and comics and has writing credits on both Picard and Discovery , throws her name behind an episode, and Kathryn Lyn makes the jump from Lower Decks to inject a delightful dose of humor into Strange New Worlds Season 2.

Season 2 is also incredibly constructed with breathtaking visual effects that make every episode feel worthy of theatrical showings. The costume department also once again knocks it out of the park, continuing an impressive show of craftsmanship following Season 1's new uniform designs and fairytale fits from "The Elysian Kingdom." The first half of Season 2 boasts gorgeous undercover outfits for multiple occasions as well as a fresh take on the dress uniforms of this particular era of Starfleet.

Everything both in front of and behind the camera comes together for a bigger, better season that offers bold new adventures, grounded character work, and a true sense of wonder. Strange New Worlds Season 2 feels fresh and exciting, while also honoring every other Star Trek series that has come before it, in ways that will delight fans both new and old.

Season 2 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds returns on June 15, exclusively on Paramount+.

Our Rating:

• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022)

Nobody But The Network Wanted The Man Trap To Be Star Trek's Series Premiere

"Star Trek: The Original Series" has three first episodes. Isn't this an irreconcilable contradiction? Let me explain.

There's the first produced "Star Trek" pilot, "The Cage," which starred Jeffrey Hunter as Captain Christopher Pike. When the Enterprise visits planet Talos IV, Pike is abducted by telepathic aliens the Talosians. NBC passed, feeling "The Cage" was a subpar effort, but let creator Gene Roddenberry take a second stab at it.

That resulted in "Where No Man Has Gone Before." When the Enterprise tries and fails to pass an energy field at the edge of the Milky Way galaxy, crewman Gary Mitchell (Gary Lockwood) develops psychic powers and goes mad.

The only thing that carries over between the two pilots is Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock. "Where No Man Has Gone Before" is closer to the finished series (it does star William Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk), but there are still noticeable differences. Scotty (James Doohan) and Mr. Sulu (George Takei) are present, but Dr. "Bones" McCoy (DeForest Kelley) and Lt. Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) are not. The costumes are different too; Starfleet uniforms are blue and yellow turtlenecks , made of thicker material than the later costumes and with no redshirts.

Had "Where No Man Has Gone Before" been the series premiere, these changes would be excusable. But instead, "Star Trek" greeted audiences with "The Man Trap" on September 8, 1966.

This one features the Enterprise visiting remote planet M-113, where McCoy's old flame Nancy Crater (Jeanne Bal) and her archaeologist husband Robert (Alfred Ryder) are the only human inhabitants. Unbeknownst to the main cast, Nancy is long dead and replaced by a native creature: a telepathic "salt vampire" which can use its abilities to, in essence, shapeshift from one form to another.

It's been well-documented that this episode wasn't the first "Star Trek" episode made for public consumption.

Why The Man Trap was the first Star Trek episode aired

Robert Justman and Herb Solow, who worked as producers on "Star Trek," shed some light on the series premiere selection when they wrote behind-the-scenes book "Inside Star Trek: The Real Story" together in 1966.

In August 1966, NBC held a screening of the available "Star Trek" episodes to decide which one should premiere the series. Despite being the pilot, "Where No Man Has Gone Before" was ruled out because it had too much exposition. The episode was "necessary for selling, not necessarily for televising," Solow opined. ("Where No Man Has Gone Before" aired as the show's third episode on September 22, 1966.)

Solow describes why each of the considered episodes was ruled out: Neither "The Corbomite Maneuver" or "The Enemy Within" had the scope needed for a series' premiere. "Mudd's Women" was too scandalous. "Charlie X," focusing on a psychic teenager, was "too gentle a tale." 

So, the premiere selection came down to "The Man Trap" and "The Naked Time," where the Enterprise crew is exposed to a virus that removes their inhibitions. Justman pushed for "The Naked Time" (feeling its focus on character would quickly acquaint audiences with the "Star Trek" main cast), but NBC went with "The Man Trap" even though the crew thought it one of the weaker efforts.  Why? Because "The Man Trap" was essentially a creature picture on a TV budget. 

The reaction to The Man Trap

Interviewed for the 1995 book "Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages" by Edward Gross and Mark Altman, Justman compared this to his experience working on the sci-fi horror anthology "The Outer Limits," another program where the network demands chills and thrills.

"What the network wanted was not necessarily an intelligent science fiction show. What they wanted was a science fiction show that would return a lot of numbers. Their theory was that to do that you had to have a monster in every show."

Justman wasn't the only one with a low opinion of "The Man Trap." In William Shatner's 1993 memoir, "Star Trek Memories" (co-written with Chris Kreski), he laments that NBC chose the worst of the available episodes to premiere "Star Trek." Shatner assesses "The Man Trap" as "a dreadful show, one of our worst ever."

"The Man Trap" didn't quite set audiences' world on fire either. The September 14, 1966 issue of Variety included a panning review of "The Man Trap." The reviewer was evidently so displeased, he didn't even bother spelling Nimoy's name correctly.

"'Star Trek' with William Shatner ... won't work. An Incredible and dreary mess of confusion trudged on for a long hour with hardly any relief from violence, killings, hypnotic stuff, and a distasteful, ugly monster."

Leonard Nimoy himself would triumphantly read this review to a live audience years later, as included in the 2016 documentary about his life, "For The Love of Spock."

On the other hand, Bill Ornstein's 1966 review for The Hollywood Reporter says that "The Man Trap" will "please sci-fi buffs to no end" and concludes that "['Star Trek'] should be a winner." Evidently, not only NBC executives saw promise in the episode.

Is The Man Trap a good Star Trek episode?

The lamentations surrounding "The Man Trap" are mostly that it ensured "Star Trek" didn't put its best foot forward first. Audiences who tuned in on that fateful September 1966 day could walk away with the first impression that "Star Trek" was only a corny science-fiction monster show. The episode combines the feeling of a Western (M-113 is like a frontier outpost) and a horror B-picture. A predatory alien in the midst of a human crew slowly picking them off; am I talking about "The Man Trap" or "The Thing From Another World"? In other words, not the most intellectual storytelling. 

Remember, though, one reason "Star Trek" endures as the best science-fiction franchise we have is its variety. There's equal room for pulpy episodes like "The Man Trap" and more thoughtful ones like "Where No Man Has Gone Before." Was it the best call to begin the series with one of the dumber ones? Perhaps not, but I enjoy when "Star Trek" embraces horror. It fits into the franchise ethos of exploration, but flips it; not every corner of the galaxy is a friendly place.

I'd still recommend that new Trekkies begin with "Where No Man Has Gone Before," but "The Man Trap" is effective at showing another side of "Star Trek."

Screen Rant

To me, william shatner’s movie star trek v is great comfort food.

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Every Star Trek Movie In Chronological Order

Alien: romulus avoids a 22-year-old franchise mistake with new xenomorph reveal, star wars finally reveals how yoda would've reacted to anakin & padme - and it's not how i expected.

• Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is a flawed but endearing character study of three eternal friends.
• Kirk, Spock, and McCoy's camping trip reflects the unbreakable friendship between the Big Three.
• Sybok is Star Trek's most underrated movie villain who acts nobly in the end.

William Shatner's Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is great comfort food. Regularly referred to as one of, if not the worst Star Trek movie, director William Shatner's Star Trek V was a noble effort that suffered from numerous issues. Shatner set out to follow the back-to-back successes of Leonard Nimoy's Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and the blockbuster Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home by taking over the director's chair to tell the cosmic tale of the USS Enterprise meeting God. But what Star Trek V actually delivered is a flawed but endearing character study of three eternal friends and the Vulcan heretic who tested that friendship which I find eminently rewatchable and endlessly enjoyable.

The problems of Star Trek V: The Final Frontier have been well-documented over the last 35 years. William Shatner's vision of Captain James T. Kirk and his loyal Starship Enterprise crew meeting God was never a premise that could satisfy, especially after the compromise to make "God" (George Murdock) an alien posing as the Almighty. Star Trek V' s low budget meant many of Shatner's grand concepts couldn't be realized, and the unavailability of Industrial Light and Magic resulted in substandard visual effects. William Shatner also admitted his inexperience as a feature film director hindered Star Trek V. No, Star Trek V is not the grand adventure it was conceived as, but what Shatner did pull off is a charming romp that pleasingly focuses on the three most beloved characters of Star Trek: The Original Series .

With 13 entries in the Star Trek movie series from 1979-2006, there are a couple of ways to watch the films chronologically.

Kirk, Spock & McCoy's Chemistry Carries Star Trek V

Star trek v is the last star trek movie to center on the big three.

At its core, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is about the unbreakable friendship between Captain James T. Kirk, Spock (Leonard Nimoy), and Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (Deforest Kelley). Star Trek V is the last time the big three were the focus of a Star Trek movie. McCoy was the odd man out when Kirk and Spock spent most of the adventure in 1986 San Francisco together in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home. In Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Kirk and Bones were imprisoned by Klingons, with Spock aboard the USS Enterprise working to rescue his friends. But in Star Trek V , William Shatner knowingly examines the bond between the Enterprise trio , with the onus on what Spock and Bones mean to Kirk, as well as what they all mean to each other.

Star Trek V tells you all you need to know about Spock, McCoy, and Kirk's friendship.

Kirk, Spock, and McCoy's camping trip where they sing "Row Row Row Your Boat" is corny on the surface, but it's really about how Kirk recognizes how empty his life is without Spock and Bones, and vice versa. When Sybok (Laurence Luckinbill) hijacks the Starship Enterprise, Kirk is deeply threatened by the realization that Spock has an actual brother-by-blood (although Sybok is only his half-brother). The idea that Spock could have his loyalty diverge affects Kirk until his Vulcan best friend affirms to Sybok that he firmly stands with his Captain. When Sybok takes the Enterprise to Sha Ka Ree, Kirk, Spock, and McCoy meet "God" together, and they save each other when the self-styled Almighty alien attacks them. Star Trek V tells you all you need to know about Spock, McCoy, and Kirk's friendship. Their banter and camaraderie never fails to be reassuring and comforting.

Sybok Is Star Trek's Most Underrated Movie Villain

Laurence luckinbill gives one of the great star trek villain performances.

Laurence Luckinbill's Sybok is the most underrated Star Trek movie villain, but the truth is that Sybok is not truly a villa in. Sybok, a Vulcan criminal because he eschews logic for emotion, is, at heart, a true believer. Sybok's fatal mistake was allowing "God" to prey upon his desperate need to be the 'chosen one', to be special. Sybok can use his Vulcan telepathy to heal others' pain, but he comes face-to-face with his own pain when he realizes the "God" he spent his whole life seeking is a malevolent pretender. Yes, Sybok steals the USS Enterprise and commits crimes, but his last act is noble: to protect Spock, Kirk, and McCoy from the wrath of "God". When faced with the folly of his life's crusade, Sybok did what he could to save Spock and his brother's friends.

The young Sybok was briefly seen in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 1.

With Sybok, William Shatner's Star Trek V admirably didn't try to recreate Khan (Ricardo Montalban), which is a mistake many other Star Trek movies made. Sybok isn't driven by vengeance, but misguided hubris, and beneath the self-styled holy man is a Vulcan who does care for others. Laurence Luckinbill projects a dangerous edge as Sybok, but he also has warmth and compassion in his exterior that mirrors what Spock feels inside but cannot show as a Vulcan. At this point, to continually point out the missteps and flaws of Star Trek V is to rob yourself of the joys of WIlliam Shatner's movie. Star Trek V is a heartfelt treatise about friendship, love, and yes, the all-important question, "What does God need with a starship?" Star Trek V: The Final Frontier reminds us that life, and Star Trek itself, is but a dream.

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