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A Complete History of the Romulans in Star Trek

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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While the Klingons may be more vicious and the Borg more terrifying, the Romulans have been one of the most consistent baddies in all of  Star Trek . Using deceit and trickery to their advantage, the Romulans have proven on many occasions to be as ruthless as they are intelligent in their dealings with the Federation.

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From their first appearance in the original series to their legendary battles in  Enterprise , there is no doubt that the Romulans make for great TV. As long as the pointy-eared cousins of the Vulcans continue to bother the Federation, viewers will always have a memorable villain to root against.

Birthright (The Next Generation)

The theme of identity is a large part of the  Star Trek  mythos, and few characters struggled with their identity quite like Lt. Worf. The episode "Birthright" from  The Next Generation   saw Worf in search of his biological father after learning that he may still be alive. In his quest, Worf discovers a community of Klingon and Romulan prisoners of war, who all live together in harmony.

Never quite comfortable in the human world or Klingon world, Worf's emotions are doubly tested by the presence of Romulans. Always the mortal enemy of the Klingons, Worf finds that he can't fully trust them, even if they prove to be peaceful. "Birthright" is a fascinating story because it shows another side of  Star Trek 's most reviled villains.

The Enemy (The Next Generation)

Romulans flourished in  The Next Generation,  and were one of the most consistent villains to appear in the long running series. The episode "The Enemy" finds Geordie LaForge trapped on a dangerous planet where he must work together with a Romulan soldier in order for them both to survive the ordeal.

Exuding all of the hopefulness that Gene Roddenberry intended, "The Enemy" puts a clever spin on its own name. By forcing two mortal enemies together into cooperation, the episode shows that there is more common ground between them than they may believe. While it may not be considered one of the best episodes of  The Next Generation , it is still a shining example of what made the show great.

Face Of The Enemy (The Next Generation)

Even when confronted with difficult odds, the members of the Federation have shown time and again that they will go to any lengths to end hostilities, and save lives. "Face of the Enemy" was one of the most shocking moments of  The Next Generation  and found Counselor Troi surgically altered to look like a Romulan. Kidnapped in order to play the part of a high ranking official, Troi goes along with the plan to save lives.

Despite its convoluted premise, the episode gave the viewer an inside look a the mysterious world of the Romulans. Troi is featured in one of her best episodes, and the she is able to show off the greatest aspects of her personality when attempting to save the day.

Unification (The Next Generation)

A Romulan episode is usually exciting enough, but the return of one of  Star Trek 's most beloved characters was an added treat. "Unification" sees the Enterprise follow Ambassador Spock deep into Romulan territory as he embarks on a dangerous mission to bring peace.

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Attempting to save the day with his powerful logic , Spock's mission brings him into the world of  The Next Generation . "Unification" is a treat for fans because it not only brings back Spock, but also shows off the Romulan home world and gives viewers more backstory on the mystery villains.

Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges (Deep Space Nine)

Usually dealing with other threats, the crew of  Deep Space Nine   also had a fair amount of run-ins with Romulans as the show progressed. The episode "Inter Arma Enim Silent Leges" features Dr. Bashir traveling to the Romulan home world to attend a medical conference. On the way there, he is recruited by Section 31 to provide medical care to a high-ranking Romulan official.

Featuring all of the aspects that made later seasons  DS9  great, the episode has a level of high-stakes intrigue that is missing from other  Trek  shows. What the episode also does, is further establish the dark tie between the Federation and the Romulan empire, as the Dominion War raged on.

The Defector (The Next Generation)

Showing to always be untrustworthy, many great Romulan episodes play out like mysteries. The episode "The Defector" features a high-ranking Romulan official who uses the Enterprise for asylum as he claims to defect from the empire with news of an imminent invasion attempt.

Unlike some of the most powerful  Star Trek  aliens that use muscle to get their way, Romulans weave tapestries of deceit. "The Defector" is one of Captain Picard's biggest challenges because it requires him to think logically, while also utilizing his uncanny ability for compassion, even for a former enemy.

The Enterprise Incident (The Original Series)

Despite appearing only a few time in  The Original Series , the Romulans made a shockingly strong impression on the audience. In "The Enterprise Incident", a seemingly demented Captain Kirk orders the Enterprise into Romulan space where it is promptly captured. Defying his captain, Spock must find a way to free his crew from the clutches of the enemy.

Further fleshing out what was established earlier in the series, "The Enterprise Incident" added more to the Romulan mythos. Spock gets to be the star of the episode as he must use his logical Vulcan mind to outwit his cousins, the Romulans.

United (Enterprise)

Though it wasn't the most popular series in its time,  Star Trek Enterprise  was a fun look at the universe before  The Original Series . The episode "United" was part of a larger story arc, and saw Captain Archer desperately attempt to convince the Vulcans, Tellarite, and Andorans to team up in order to stop a Romulan chameleon ship.

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By allowing the Romulans to live up to their full potential, the three part story arc shows the frightening possibilities of their wrath. While they may be simply the dastardly villain, they work perfectly as a foil to Captain Archer's quest for all things good in the galaxy.

In The Pale Moonlight (Deep Space Nine)

While  Star Trek  is usually about the best possible future for mankind,  Deep Space Nine  often showed much darker possibilities. Set at the height of the Dominion War, "In the Pale Moonlight" sees Captain Sisko go to extreme measures to ensure that the Romulans join forces with the Federation/Klingon alliance, even at the risk of his own morals.

Generally considered one of the best ever episodes of  DS9 , "In the Pale Moonlight" is also one of the darkest. The bleakness of the war has pushed the usually moralistic Captain Sisko to his limits, and that low-point includes lying and deceit. In many ways, the episode shows that there is little difference between humans and Romulans after all.

Balance Of Terror (The Original Series)

As for debuts, the Romulans certainly burst on the scene with a tremendous bang. The episode "Balance of Terror" sees the Enterprise's state of jubilation interrupted by the sudden appearance of a Romulan vessel that is making violent moves towards Federation space.

Locked in a cat-and-mouse battle with the Romulan captain, Kirk is pushed to the limits of his wits by his unscrupulous enemy. The scope of the episode is small but the scale threatens to escalate to galaxy wide war. Though they were just introduced in the episode, the Romulans quickly proved to be a dark mirror to the Federation's enlightened future.

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

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

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

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

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

Romulans in the Original Series

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

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

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

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

Further appearances

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

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

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

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

The Rihannsu

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

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

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

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

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

The Next Generation

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

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

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

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

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

The Next Generation (cont'd)

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

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

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

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

Looking to the past

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

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

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

The home world destroyed

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

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

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

Romulan worldbuilding

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

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

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

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The Enterprise Incident

• Episode aired Sep 27, 1968

An apparently insane Capt. Kirk has the Enterprise deliberately enter the Romulan Neutral Zone where the ship is immediately captured by the enemy. An apparently insane Capt. Kirk has the Enterprise deliberately enter the Romulan Neutral Zone where the ship is immediately captured by the enemy. An apparently insane Capt. Kirk has the Enterprise deliberately enter the Romulan Neutral Zone where the ship is immediately captured by the enemy.

• John Meredyth Lucas
• Gene Roddenberry
• D.C. Fontana
• Arthur H. Singer
• William Shatner
• Leonard Nimoy
• DeForest Kelley
• 29 User reviews
• 11 Critic reviews

• Captain James Tiberius 'Jim' Kirk

• Mister Spock

• Romulan Commander

• Nurse Chapel
• Technical Officer
• Romulan Guard
• Romulan Soldier
• (uncredited)

• Lieutenant Leslie
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

• Trivia This episode is the first to feature a female starship commander.
• Goofs The Enterprise crew are shocked to learn that their surprise capture may be due to a new cloaking technology possessed by the Romulans. Kirk and crew already encountered cloaked Romulans two years earlier in Balance of Terror (1966) . However, the cloaking technology in The Enterprise Incident is new because it is improved. The Enterprise was still able to track a Romulan ship, though not accurately, in 'Balance of Terror' and cannot detect them at all with this improved version.

Romulan Commander : We were not aware of Vulcans aboard the Enterprise.

Spock : Starfleet is not in the habit of informing Romulans of its ship's personnel.

• Alternate versions Special Enhanced version Digitally Remastered with new exterior shots and remade opening theme song
• Connections Featured in William Shatner's Star Trek Memories (1995)
• Soundtracks Theme Music credited to Alexander Courage Sung by Loulie Jean Norman

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• Jan 5, 2007
• September 27, 1968 (United States)
• United States
• Official Facebook
• Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
• Paramount Television
• Norway Corporation
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 51 minutes

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The Romulan War: To Brave the Storm (Star Trek: Enterprise) Mass Market Paperback – October 25, 2011

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• Book 14 of 20 Star Trek: Enterprise
• Print length 352 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Pocket Books/Star Trek
• Publication date October 25, 2011
• Dimensions 4.19 x 0.8 x 6.75 inches
• ISBN-10 1451607156
• ISBN-13 978-1451607154
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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pocket Books/Star Trek; 0 edition (October 25, 2011)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 352 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1451607156
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1451607154
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6.9 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.19 x 0.8 x 6.75 inches
• #1,270 in Alien Invasion Science Fiction
• #4,652 in Space Operas
• #7,137 in Science Fiction Adventures

About the author

Michael a. martin.

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Published Dec 1, 2019

Star Trek 101: Romulans and Remans

A quick refresher on the similarities and differences between the two alien cultures.

StarTrek.com

Today, we share Star Trek 101: A Practical Guide to Who, What, Where, And Why ' s file on the differences between Romulans and Remans, as first explored in Star Trek Generations .

Romulus and Remus are sister planets within the same system. You’d think that would make the “sister” species who inhabit those worlds neighborly... but, no. Romulus is your typical alien world, which is to say, habitable. Remus, on the other hand, is a nasty place: unbearably hot on one side of the planet, unbearably cold on the other. It’s a hell of a place — literally — to grow up. About the only thing the planet is good for is mining, and for many years the dominant Romulans have forced the Remans to live under brutal conditions and work the mines. Well, what goes around, comes around. The Remans eventually rise up against their Romulan oppressors and kill everyone in the Romulan Senate.

In terms of appearance, Romulans look like their Vulcan ancestors. Remans have gray skin, cadaverous frames, and catlike ears — in fact, the resemblance to Nosferatu is uncanny.

Star Trek 101 introduces Star Trek newcomers to the basic foundations and elements of the franchise, and refreshes the memories of longtime Trek fans. We're pulling our entries from the book Star Trek 101: A Practical Guide to Who, What, Where, And Why , written by Terry J. Erdmann & Paula M. Block and published in 2008 by Pocket Books. An invaluable resource, it encompasses Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The Next Generation , Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise , as well as the first ten Trek feature films.

Paula M. Block and Terry J. Erdmann are coauthors of numerous books about the entertainment industry, including Star Trek 101; Star Trek Costumes: Fifty Years of Fashion from the Final Frontier; Star Trek: The Original Series 365; and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion . They currently are writing the latest in their series of Ferengi novellas, which (so far) includes Lust’s Latinum Lost (and Found) ; and Rules of Accusation . As noted, their most recent non- Trek book is Labyrinth: The Ultimate Visual History .

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Star Trek: Enterprise - The Romulan War

Star Trek: Enterprise – The Romulan War is a two-book novel series published by Pocket Books . Following up on the events of previous Pocket ENT novels, The Good That Men Do and Kobayashi Maru , the series depicts the events of the Earth-Romulan War from 2156 to 2160 and the foundation of the United Federation of Planets in 2161 .

Releases [ ]

• Beneath the Raptor's Wing
• To Brave the Storm

The Star Trek Character With The Highest Kill Count

Take a quick glance, and "Star Trek" may seem like a relatively peaceful franchise with heroes who often make a point of at least trying to defuse dangerous situations with diplomacy. However, the intention to keep things civil doesn't always mean things stay that way. Several "Star Trek" characters have amassed an astonishingly large kill count over the course of the franchise, and one particular seemingly unassuming figure is the deadliest of them all. 

According to the "Star Trek" fandom wiki , this extremely dubious honor goes to Kevin Uxbridge (John Anderson), an elderly human botanist whom viewers meet in "Star Trek: The Next Generation" Season 3, Episode 3, "The Survivors." Kevin is directly responsible for the deaths of no less than 50 billion sentient beings. In fact, he ends the entire Husnock civilization with a single angry thought.

As this implies, there's more to Kevin than meets the eye. The crew of the USS Enterprise-D meets him and his wife, Rishon (Anne Haney), on Rana IV, living in their cozy home amidst the otherwise completely wrecked planet. The Enterprise crew eventually finds out that Kevin is secretly a hugely powerful pacifist being known as a Douwd. Long before the events of the episode, he took human form, married Rishon, and eventually moved to Rana IV before the Husnock attacked. After his non-violent illusions and deceptions failed to deter the invaders and they killed everyone else on the planet — including Rishon — he became furious and killed every Husnock in existence. After remaking Rishon, he continues to live on the destroyed planet with his secret guilt and shame. 

Kevin Uxbridge isn't the only Star Trek character with blood on his hands

While no other "Star Trek" character can touch Kevin Uxbridge on this front, he's not the only entity in the franchise with plenty of blood on his hands. Despite his dangerous nature, Kevin isn't a villain in the strictest sense of the term — if only because his crime is so complex and massive that Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) essentially backs away from the situation, leaves Kevin to his own devices, and records a log that advises the listener to do the same. 

Since the tragic, disgraced Douwd is on a level of his own, this leaves Eric Bana's Nero as the most dangerous "Star Trek" villain . Not only does the Romulan antagonist in J.J. Abrams' 2009 "Star Trek" movie create an entire new "Star Trek" Kelvin timeline , but because he destroys the planet Vulcan, his kill count is around six billion victims. 

Another antagonistic character whose kill count is in the billions is the intelligent and omnicidal space probe Nomad MK-15c, which kills four billion Malurians before "Star Trek" Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and his crew manage to stop it in the original show's Season 2, Episode 3, "The Changeling." 

A Great Geordi Star Trek: TNG Episode Redeems One Of His Worst

• Geordi La Forge's romance mishap in "Booby Trap" is cringe-worthy but Geordi is redeemed in "The Enemy".
• "The Enemy" showcases Geordi's resilience and leadership while Picard and Worf make tough decisions.
• Star Trek: TNG delves into complex interpersonal dynamics with self-contained episodes and overarching plots.

Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) has one particularly embarrassing storyline on Star Trek: The Next Generation , but this great episode redeems him. As the Chief Engineer on the USS Enterprise-D, Geordi knows his way around a warp core, but he sometimes has trouble with interpersonal relationships. It's a bit telling that Geordi's best friend is the android Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner), who isn't exactly known for his social skills. Although La Forge plays a major role in many TNG episodes, only a handful of episodes give him center stage and reveal more about Geordi as a person.

Geordi La Forge's cringe-worthy "romance" with a holodeck version of Dr. Leah Brahms (Susan Gibney) in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 3, episode 6, "Booby Trap" is a low point for the character. In "Booby Trap," the Enterprise gets stuck in a centuries-old snare, and La Forge recruits Holo-Brahms to help find a way to break the ship free. On its own, this would have been a fine storyline, but Geordi proceeds to develop feelings for the recreation of Brahms, which brings the entire episode down. The following episode, however, gives Geordi a chance to shine, as he must work with an enemy to survive a dangerous planet.

Geordi La Forges Best Star Trek TNG & Picard Episodes Ranked

Star Trek: The Next Generation icon Geordi La Forge has become a legendary member of the franchise and has featured in some all-time great episodes.

Star Trek: TNG's "The Enemy" Is Great For Geordi

"welcome to galorndon core, where no good deed goes unpunished.".

In Star Trek: The Next Generation season 3, episode 7, "The Enemy," Geordi La Forge finds himself trapped on a stormy planet alongside a Romulan soldier. Because of interference from the electromagnetic storms, Geordi cannot contact the Enterprise and the ship must wait for a break in the storm to beam him back up. The Enterprise sends down a beacon for Geordi to follow, but as he heads toward it, he is attacked by a Romulan soldier named Centurion Bochra (John Snyder). The electromagnetic radiation soon begins causing neurological damage, rendering Geordi unable to see and Bochra struggling to walk.

It's difficult to reconcile the Geordi La Forge of "The Enemy" with the one of the previous episode, "Booby Trap".

The Federation and the Romulan Empire are the bitterest of enemies, but La Forge and Bochra manage to work together long enough to make it back to the Enterprise. It's difficult to reconcile the Geordi La Forge of "The Enemy" with the one of the previous episode, "Booby Trap". La Forge is, at turns, funny, charming, sarcastic, clever, and compassionate. After falling into a cavern, he creates picks for himself to climb up a rock face to escape. He then remains calm when Bochra takes him prisoner, eventually convincing the Romulan to work with him. Not only does Geordi prove why he's the Chief Engineer, but he also gets some truly great lines.

La Forge also talks Bochra through the process of combining his tricorder with his VISOR to create a way to navigate to the beacon.

TNG's "The Enemy" Is Also A Great Episode For Picard & Worf

"we have good reason to mistrust one another, but we have better reasons to set our differences aside.".

Geordi La Forge's story is not the only part of "The Enemy" that works, as Captain Picard and Lt. Worf (Michael Dorn) both get plenty to do as well. While Geordi and Bochra fight to survive on the planet, Picard must deal with Patahk (Steve Rankin), the injured Romulan soldier the away team rescued, while also stalling Romulan Commander Tomalak (Andreas Katsulas), who has come in search of his men. As Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) works to save Patahk, she determines that only Worf's blood will work for a transfusion. Worf, however, refuses to save the life of a Romulan, as it was Romulans who killed his parents at the Khitomer Massacre.

Worf's refusal to save Patahk's life makes sense for Worf as a character, and "The Enemy" surprisingly goes through with the Romulan's death, with no last-minute Star Trek solution.

Even when Picard basically begs Worf to agree to the transfusion, pointing out that Patahk's death could lead to a war, Worf remains firm in his choice. When Tomalak learns of Patahk's death, he prepares to fire on the Enterprise. Thankfully, Geordi and Bochra are rescued just in time for Picard to provide Tomalak with another choice. Picard gets to deliver a powerful speech about preventing a war and he takes a gamble by lowering the Enterprise's shields. In the end, Picard's gamble pays off, the Enterprise lives to see another day, and another great episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation comes to a close.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Cast Michael Dorn, LeVar Burton, Brent Spiner, Wil Wheaton, Jonathan Frakes, Patrick Stewart, Marina Sirtis, Gates McFadden

Release Date September 28, 1987

Showrunner Jeri Taylor, Michael Piller, Rick Berman

Den of Geek

Discovery Season 5 Just Brought Back a Lost Piece of Star Trek Voyager Canon

The Breen have really taken over Star Trek: Discovery at this point, which is why it might be time to revisit Deep Space Nine.

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This Star Trek: Discovery article contains spoilers.

Since its inception in 2017, Star Trek: Discovery has been compared to various aspects of the Star Trek franchise. But, perhaps the show it most closely resembles, at least tonally, is Deep Space Nine , the gritty ‘90s spin-off of The Next Generation . And, with its fifth and final season, it feels like Discovery knows it’s the Deep Space Nine of modern Trek , and has leaned into that feeling more than ever.

The series has also taken on the mantle of being the new DS9 by simply making a ton of references to that series, as well as continuing huge storylines from that series. In the 7th episode of season 5, “Erigah,” Discovery makes a ton of references to the breadth of the Trek canon, with a specific focus on DS9 . Here’s all the best easter eggs and shout-outs you might have missed.

The Return of Nhan 

At the top of the episode, we get the first appearance of Rachael Ancheril as Nhan since season 4 episode “Rubicon.” Nhan’s journey is unique within Star Trek , and Discovery specifically. Originally a part of the crew of the USS Enterprise under Pike, Nhan joined the Discovery in season 2 during the search for the Red Angel. She stayed with the crew when they jumped to the future in season 3, making her seemingly the only Enterprise crew member from the 23rd century who now lives in the 32nd century . Nhan is from Barzan II, a planet established in the TNG episode “The Price.”

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Dominion War Medical Research 

Culber says he’s doing a deep-dive into Dominion War medical research, in order to learn more about the Breen, noting, “We don’t know much about Breen physiology.” This is accurate since, although the Breen appeared for the first time in DS9 , they never took their helmets off in that series. Culber’s deep dive into Dominion War research is also interesting in light of Star Trek: Picard season 3. It was in that season that we learned Starfleet was secretly experimenting on Changelings. Did Culber stumble on any of that research?

“Never Turn Your Back on a Breen”

Reynar reminds President T’Rina of the Romulan saying, “Never turn your back on a Breen.” This comes from the DS9 episode “By Inferno’s Light,” and was uttered by an unnamed Romulan prisoner. Although T’Rina is seemingly Vulcan, the Vulcans and Romulans are essentially the same people in the time of Discovery . As revealed in season 3’s “Unification III,” all Vulcans and Romulans live together on the planet Ni’var, previously known as the planet Vulcan.

Breen Attack on the Federation 

In this episode, we’re reminded that “the last time the Breen paid a visit to the Federation, they destroyed an entire city.” This references the Deep Space Nine episode, “The Changing Face of Evil,” in which the Breen attack Starfleet Headquarters on Earth, directly, and nearly destroy all of San Francisco. Most of the city was rebuilt by the time of the Picard flashbacks in season 1 of that series, and certainly, is fully rebuilt by seasons 2 and 3 of Picard . But, it seems like the Federation has not had a direct battle with the Breen in Federation space since the DS9 era.

Tilly Is Worried About Her Cadets

In another reference to DS9 and “The Changing Face of Evil,” Tilly expresses concern about her cadets safety if the Breen attack Federation HQ. In the DS9 era, Starfleet Academy was still located in San Francisco, though now it’s at Fed HQ. That said, the upcoming show, Starfleet Academy , set in the Discovery timeline, will move the Academy back to Earth, and San Francisco.

We learn in this episode that the next piece of the Progenitor puzzle is a book called Labyrinths of the Mind , a Betazoid manuscript written by Dr. Marina Derex. “Marina” is almost certainly a reference to Marina Sirtis, the beloved actress who has played the half-Betazoid character Deanna Troi in all of The Next Generation and Picard , a few cameos on Voyager , and the Enterprise finale.

The book was also written in 2371, which is the same year that the USS Voyager left space station Deep Space 9 for the Badlands. It’s also the same year that Thomas Riker stole the USS Defiant from the same station. It’s also the year that the USS Enterprise-D crash-landed its saucer section on Veridian III in Star Trek Generations , which also means it’s the same year that a time-displaced Captain James T. Kirk was killed. Big year!

Seven of Limes 

Reno mentions a cocktail called “Seven of Limes.” This can only be a reference to Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan), the former Borg drone turned Fenris Ranger and Starfleet Captain. Because Discovery is set several centuries beyond Picard Season 3, we can only assume that Reno and the crew now have knowledge of events well beyond the early 2400s.

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“A Holodeck Adventure for the Littles”

Reno jokes that the entire premise of the current clue—connected to a library card—makes everything sound like “something out of a holodeck adventure for the littles.” The most prominent holodeck adventure for children that we’re aware of in Trek canon is The Adventures of Flotter , which first appeared in the Voyager episode “Once Upon a Time.” In Picard season 1, Soji had a Flotter lunchbox.

The Badlands 

By the end of the episode, the Eternal Gallery’s location—and thus the location of the book  Labyrinths of the Mind —is revealed to be in the Badlands. This is an unstable area of space that was first mentioned in…you guessed it… Deep Space Nine ! Although the Badlands is most famous as the area where the USS Voyager went missing in its 1995 debut episode, “Caretaker,” the concept of the Badlands was introduced about a year earlier in 1994, during DS9’s second season, specifically in the episode “The Maquis Part 1.”

The Badlands is located near what used to be Cardassian space, so in its next episode, Discovery will literally be traveling directly to the neighborhood of Deep Space Nine . We have no idea if the wormhole is still there in this time period, or if that old station is still kicking. But, as Discovery continues to drop surprises in its final season, we can all keep our fingers crossed for a glimpse of a very special space station.

Ryan Britt is a longtime contributor to Den of Geek! He is also the author of three non-fiction books: the Star Trek pop history book PHASERS…

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Star Trek: Discovery is cracking open a box Next Gen closed on purpose

The USS Discovery is on a mad chase across the galaxy for one of Star Trek’s biggest secrets

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Calling back to a single 30-year-old episode of television is a time-honored Star Trek tradition , one that’s led the franchise to some of its most fascinating detours. And in its two-episode season premiere, Star Trek: Discovery seems to be kicking off an entire season calling back to one particular episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation .

And not just any episode! The 1993 installment of Next Gen in question delivered a revelation so seemingly earth-shaking that it should have rewritten galactic politics on a massive scale. But then, as was the way in the 1990s era of episodic TV, nobody ever mentioned it again.

At least until now.

[ Ed. note: This piece contains spoilers for the first two episodes of Star Trek: Discovery season 5.]

Writer Michelle Paradise and director Olatunde Osunsanmi lay out the connection at the end of the first of two episodes released this week, “Red Directive.” Discovery’s mission is to follow a series of ancient clues leading to a cache of ancient technology, and to get there before a couple of professional thieves, Moll (Eve Harlow) and L’ak (Elias Toufexis), do.

The technology, as Doctor Kovich (David Cronenberg) explains, belongs to the so-called Progenitors, a barely understood ancient spacefaring species that “created life as we know it […] every humanoid species in the galaxy.” Presumably such tech holds the key to understanding how the Progenitors did that, and how that power could be used again.

The Progenitors are from the Star Trek episode “The Chase”

Kovich also calls up a helpful video presentation of the moment the Progenitors were discovered by an assembled group of Federation, Klingon, Romulan, and Cardassian captains, including Jean-Luc Picard. But you don’t have to be a Star Trek lore nerd to know you’re actually just looking at clips from an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation .

Specifically, from the 20th episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation ’s sixth season, “The Chase,” in which Picard and crew discover pieces of a computer program hidden inside the DNA of species from dozens of different planets. Questions abound: What does the program do? And what kind of entity could have been so ancient and powerful that it had determined the genetic legacy of most of the known galaxy before sentient life had even evolved here — and then left no trace of its existence except the genetic codes themselves?

In a nutshell, the mysterious death of Captain Picard’s old archeology professor (did you know that if he hadn’t gone into Starfleet, Jean-Luc was studying to be a space archeologist? Well, now you do) sets the captain and the Enterprise on a search for the missing DNA fragments necessary to complete his unfinished work.

The action of the episode becomes a grand chase, as Klingon and Cardassian captains come to believe the program must be a great weapon or dangerous secret. Eventually Picard and his rivals all discover the lonely planet with the final DNA strain — and when they get there, some Romulans who’ve been secretly following all of them show up, too, just to make things even more tense.

In the end, the program isn’t a weapon or a secret, but a message from an ancient race of humanoids that apparently created sentient life in our galaxy as we know it.

Actor Salome Jens appears as a Progenitor hologram, and delivers a speech that’s stirring by any standard of Star Trek monologues, telling the story of a race of sentients that took to the stars and found them empty. They had evolved too early to meet other forms of sentient life, and knew that their time was too limited to ever expect to.

“We knew that one day we would be gone; that nothing of us would survive, so we left you,” Jens’ Progenitor explains. The Progenitors seeded humanoid life across the galaxy in their own image; life that tended to evolve into bipedal, tailless, largely hairless creatures with two eyes and two arms and five fingers on each hand. And they left clues in the genetic signature of their work, broken up among the stars.

Wait, was this really all about lampshading the limits of Star Trek’s alien design?

Kinda, yes! The writers of “The Chase,” Ron Moore and Joe Menosky, were inspired by elements of Carl Sagan’s Contact , but also by Menosky’s pet fascination creating an in-universe explanation for why all the common alien species in Star Trek are basically shaped like humans (albeit with latex on their faces).

In other hands, it would be hokey and trite, but even under heavy makeup, Jens sells the hell out of her single scene on voice and stance alone — it’s no wonder she was asked back to the Trek fold to play a major antagonist role in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine .

“It was our hope that you would have to come together in fellowship and companionship to hear this message, and if you can see and hear me, our hope has been fulfilled,” the Progenitor hologram concludes, with gentle compassion. “You are a monument, not to our greatness, but to our existence. That was our wish: That you, too, would know life. [...] There is something of us in each of you, and so something of you in each other.”

But though “The Chase” carried a sweeping revelation, nothing ever really panned out from it. You’d think that a message of togetherness that fundamentally rewrote the origin of life in the universe would have to have tweaked Star Trek’s galactic politics a bit, right? Seems like this would give the Star Trek setting a radically different understanding of the origins of life than we have in the real world — this is literally intelligent design! At the very least there’d be some other characters talking about how humans and Vulcans, Klingons and Romulans and Ferengi and Cardassians and Trill and Bajorans, all share the same genetic ancestor.

But nope: The Pandora’s box of Progenitor lore remained closed. Gene Roddenberry’s successor and Trek producer Rick Berman seems to have been disenchanted with the episode’s reveal — and you can’t really blame him for not wanting to rock the whole cosmology of Star Trek in an episode that’s mostly about explaining how if you turn the DNA snippets like this they make a cool spiral. Now look at this computer screen with the spiral :

Except now, Star Trek: Discovery is opening the box and rocking the boat. This new mad, puzzle-box chase around the galaxy promises to expand on the Progenitors, an idea so big that not even The Next Generation was willing to touch it. It’s a tall order, but Discovery has never been more free to shake up Star Trek continuity than it is right now — we’ll have to wait for more episodes of the show’s final season to find out how free it intends to be.

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 finally free to do whatever it wants, loading comments....