character on star trek tng

Star Trek: The Next Generation Cast and Character Guide

Star Trek: The Next Generation stepped away from The Original Series crew, and changed the franchise forever. Here's a rundown of the main characters.

Star Trek: The Next Generation represented a watershed for the vaunted sci-fi franchise. It first premiered on Sept. 28, 1987, and ran for seven seasons: evolving from almost an afterthought to one of the best television shows of all time. More importantly it moved Star Trek from a one-crew series into something far more expansive, allowing numerous shows with all-new characters to flourish. In many ways, the franchise wouldn't have survived without it.

Season 3 of Star Trek: Picard serves as a reunion of sorts for the Next Generation cast, bringing many of the show's favorites back for a curtain call. That includes both the seven "core" members of the cast -- constituting the bridge officers of the U.S.S. Enterprise-D -- and a surprising number of supporting cast members, some of whom returned earlier in Picard . Together, they have helped define Star Trek in the post- Original-Series era.

RELATED: Star Trek: The Next Generation and the Roddenberry Box, Explained

Patrick Stewart Is Captain Jean-Luc Picard

Sir Patrick Stewart was best known as a Shakespearean actor in the early part of his career. Like many Shakespeareans, he made numerous appearances in movies and TV shows. He even had a profile among sci-fi lovers, thanks to appearances in the likes of Excalibur, Lifeforce , and David Lynch's version of Dune. He earned a whole new group of fans after Star Trek by portraying Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise .

Jean-Luc Picard is captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise-D, and conceived in many ways as the antithesis of Captain James T. Kirk. Picard is cerebral, diplomatic and slow to anger. He prefers negotiation to fighting, and displays a wealth of knowledge in a wide variety of fields. As the captain of Starfleet's flagship, he's often targeted by the Federation's enemies, most notably the Borg, who assimilated him into their collective in Season 3, Episode 26, "the Best of Both Worlds, Part 1." The emotional scars of the incident remain with him for the length of the franchise.

Jonathan Frakes Is Commander William Riker

Jonathan Frakes was an unknown when he joined the cast of The Next Generation , though he had appeared in numerous TV series before then as a working actor. Star Trek gave him a chance to work behind the camera as a director. Since then, he's become a major creative force in the franchise, directing episodes of multiple Star Trek series and two movies, as well as numerous projects outside The Final Frontier.

Square-jawed and stalwart, William Riker spends the early seasons leading dangerous away team missions while Picard remains behind on the bridge. As the show evolves, the two men come to rely on each other more and more, to the point where Riker repeatedly turns down promotion to remain the Enterprise-D's "Number One." Though a stalwart commander, he adopts a more informal attitude than Picard, joking with other members of the staff and commiserating with them while off-duty.

RELATED: TNG Changed Star Trek With a Game of Cards

Gates McFadden Is Doctor Beverly Crusher

Before joining the cast of The Next Generation, McFadden worked with Jim Henson Studios as a choreographer and movement specialist in the likes of Labyrinth and The Muppets Take Manhattan . McFadden quit the Star Trek series after the first season, citing sexism in the scripts and a dispute with then-lead writer Maurice Hurley. She did, however, return for Season 3.

The shift reveals just how important Dr. Crusher is to the cast's dynamic. A widow and the mother of super-genius Wesley Crusher, she dispenses her medical duties with kindness, calm, and dogged optimism. She and Picard have an on-again, off-again relationship throughout the series -- fond but platonic most of the time -- which results in the birth of their son Jack two decades before the events of Picard Season 3.

Brent Spiner Is Lieutenant Commander Data

Spiner has become a staple of the Star Trek franchise, with multiple characters stretching across 35 years of programming. Most of them belong to the sinister Soong family, though he also plays Data's treacherous brother Lore and "failed prototype" B-4. Data, however, remains Spiner's signature role, created as an alternative to Mr. Spock and quickly becoming one of the franchise's most beloved characters.

As an android, Data possesses no emotions, though he yearns to experience them. His clinical observations and fantastically advanced brain make him an outstanding science officer for the Enterprise-D, while his compassion and moral compass upend Star Trek's normal Frankenstein-esque approach to artificial intelligence. Picard Season 3 returns Data to life for a proper curtain all after infamously killing him at the conclusion of Star Trek: Nemesis .

RELATED: A Dubious Star Trek Movie Found Inspiration in a Cut TNG Story

Marina Sirtis Is Counselor Deanna Troi

Marina Sirtis joined Star Trek after previously appearing on various British TV series and American B-movies. Her character is presented as the ship's counselor, a half-Betazoid empath capable of sensing emotions in others. While she aptly serves as a therapist for the crew, her main duties involve advising the captain on diplomatic matters. This makes her a vital member of the bridge staff.

Deanna Troi also has a past relationship with Will Riker, and they remain close platonic friends throughout The Next Generation's run. They rekindle their romance during Star Trek: Insurrection, and get married in the opening of Star Trek: Nemesis . Picard Season 1 finds them semi-retired and living with their daughter.

LeVar Burton Is Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge

Of all the principal cast members on the series, LeVar Burton had the highest profile among the public. He first rose to fame playing Kunta Kinte in the groundbreaking miniseries Roots , then served as host and executive producer of the classic PBS educational series Reading Rainbow starting in 1983. Geordi La Forge begins The Next Generation as the ship's pilot, but soon moves to the Chief Engineer's position. He's level-headed and hyper-efficient, though utterly hopeless around women. He and Data become fast friends as the series progresses.

La Forge is also known for his distinctive VISOR, which gives him the ability to see in different spectrums. He constitutes a major step forward for representation. The show views his blindness not as an impediment, but as a unique perspective that brings its own singular gifts. He trades the VISOR in for a pair of cybernetic eyes starting in Star Trek: First Contact , in part because of Burton's weariness with the cumbersome prop.

RELATED: Star Trek: TNG Could Have Continued Past Season 7, but Without Picard

Michael Dorn Is Lieutenant Worf

Worf's appearance on the Enterprise-D was a part of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry's vision for the series. The Klingons spent The Original Series as foes of the Federation, but by the time The Next Generation rolled around (100 years on the franchise timetable), they had become allies. Worf is the first Klingon to join Starfleet, played by Shakespearean actor Michael Dorn. Before Star Trek, Dorn was best known for a recurring role on CHiPs. He became only the second actor to formally cross over onto another series: following Chief O'Brien to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

Worf himself becomes a catalyst for The Klingons as a culture: exploring them in depth and adding a plethora of exciting characters to the canon. The Empire's scheming nobles and clashing houses draw on Dorn's Shakespearean background, with Worf an exiled lord fighting to restore honor to his people. In the midst of it all, he remains a stalwart friend and able security officer aboard the Enterprise.

Wil Wheaton Is Wesley Crusher

Wil Weaton actually came to The Next Generation as a better-known actor than may of his older cast mates, having made a huge splash as the lead in Rob Reiner's Stand By Me . He has since become Star Trek's de facto master of ceremonies as the host of the aftershow The Ready Room as well as numerous podcasts and other social media series.

Wesley is perhaps The Next Generation's greatest salvage job. He stumbles badly in Season 1, acting as a de facto stand-in for franchise creator Gene Roddenberry and often solving crises as a deus ex machina. Subsequent seasons improve his standing greatly, turning him into a talented but questioning apprentice to the rest of the crew. He departs with a being called The Traveller to explore higher planes of existence at the end of Season 7, though he returns for a brief cameo in Picard Season 2.

RELATED: The Next Generation's USS Enterprise-D Was Star Trek's Best Hero Ship Upgrade

Denise Crosby Is Lieutenant Tasha Yar

Tasha Yar is The Next Generation's great "what if" and the Enterprise's original security chief who was ignominiously killed off at the end of Season 1. Denise Crosby left the show for many of the same reasons McFadden did, and unfortunately, she never received a proper mulligan like Doctor Crusher did. The actor went on to prominent roles in Miracle Mile and the first Pet Sematary, as well as a long line of guest appearances on prominent sci-fi series.

Thankfully, The Next Generation finds places to bring her back, most notably in the now-classic "Yesterday's Enterprise" in Season 3. That leads to her half-Romulan daughter Sela, who becomes one of the Enterprise-D's chief foils in Season 4 and 5. Her absence haunts her former crewmates as they never quite shed the pain of her passing, and keeping her out of Picard Season 3 is still one of that series' biggest mistakes.

Colm Meaney Is Chief Miles O'Brien

Before serving as chief engineer on Deep Space 9, Miles O'Brien was the Enterprise-D's stalwart transporter chief. Colm Meaney, who played O'Brien throughout both The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , rocketed to prominence on the role after eking out a few brief TV roles here and there. Afterwards, he starred in a long string of high-profile movie roles: starting with Stephen Frears' The Commitments and others like Con Air, Under Siege and The Snapper.

O'Brien himself is a holdover from Montgomery Scott, the redoubtable Chief Engineer from The Original Series . He's also Star Trek's first semi-official "Lower Decks" character , representing the ship's rank-and-file crew members. Diligent and hard-working, he dotes on his wife Keiko and is always ready at the transporter when the away team needs a quick pick-up.

RELATED: Star Trek Theory: Why the Borg Queen Didn't Appear in The Next Generation

Whoopi Goldberg Is Guinan

Goldberg is a self-confessed Trekkie, having famously grown up admiring Nichelle Nichols' performance on The Original Series . Her own film career launched with a bang when she starred in Steven Spielberg's The Color Purple based on the Alice Walker novel. She joined The Next Generation in Season 2 as Guinan, the ship's bartender who has a long history with Picard and an uncanny knack for good advice. Her presence is credited with helping the show turn things around after the disastrous Season 1, and she returned for a brief appearance in the second season of Picard .

Guinan makes a sterling example of The Next Generation's strong line of supporting characters. The show doesn't use her unless the plot calls for it, making every appearance a meaningful one (and freeing Goldberg to pursue what became an Oscar-winning movie career). In that sense, she exemplifies part of Gene Roddenberry's formula for The Original Series' success: write meaty parts for a small number of episodes in order to attract top-notch actors who don't want to be tied down in a single series.

Dwight Schultz Is Lieutenant Reg Barclay

Schultz made a big splash on the 80s classic The A-Team , where he played deranged pilot "Howling Man" Murdock throughout its successful run. Reg Barclay is the exact opposite of Murdock: timid, uncertain, painfully shy and another early example of Star Trek's Lower Deckies. An inherently unpopular member of the engineering staff, he first appears in Season 3, Episode 21, "Hollow Pursuits," where he lives vicariously through inappropriate holodeck programs designed around his real-life crewmates.

While ostensibly a holographic expert, Barclay quickly evolves into the ship's Everyman: appearing in the likes of Season 4, Episode 19, "The Nth Degree" and Season 6, Episode 12, "Ship in a Bottle," as well as making a cameo in Star Trek: First Contact . He eventually becomes attached to the efforts to reach the U.S.S. Voyager in the Delta Quadrant, leading to several prominent appearances on Star Trek: Voyager as well.

RELATED: How Picard Cemented This Couple as Star Trek's Best

Diana Muldar Is Katherine Pulaski

Star Trek's "forgotten doctor" appears in the second season of The Next Generation , replacing the departing Gates McFadden. Unlike Crusher, Pulaski is plain-speaking, blunt and a little stand-offish. Critics note that she resembles Leonard McCoy a little too closely (both characters share a phobia about transporters, for example) and she lacks the chemistry with the rest of the crew that McFadden enjoyed. She departs the series at the end of season 2, never to be seen again.

Actor Diana Muldar was already a success when she played Dr. Pulaski, with a long string of television appearances stretching back to the 1960s. That included two episodes of The Original Series : Season 2, Episode 20, "Return to Tomorrow" and Season 3, Episode 5, "Is There in Truth No Beauty?" After her run on The Next Generation , she earned a pair of Emmy nominations as the villainous Rosalind Shays on L.A. Law . Batman: The Animated Series fans know her as Dr. Leslie Thompkins, which marked the first appearance of the character outside of the comics.

Michelle Forbes Is Ro Laren

Ro Laren arrives on the Enterprise in Season 5, Episode 3, "Ensign Ro." She introduces the Bajorans to the Star Trek universe, which is a religious species who have become insurgents and refugees after the Cardassians occupy their world. She becomes a stand-in for the oppressed and neglected, as well as demonstrating the limits of Starfleet's power and morality. She and Picard form a bond, which she betrays when she joins the terrorist Maquis in Season 7, Episode 24, "Preemptive Strike." She returns in Picard Season 3 to warn her old mentor about the Changeling threat before sacrificing herself in one of the new series' most celebrated plotlines.

Forbes spent two years on the soap opera Guiding Light before joining the cast of The Next Generation . Ro Laren was intended to be one of the leads on Deep Space Nine , but the actor declined, fearing she would be typecast in the part. The role was rewritten and became Nana Visitor's Kira Nerys. Forbes went on to star in numerous film and television projects, including Homicide: Life on the Street, 24, Battlestar Galactica, Kalifornia , and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2.

Star Trek: The Next Generation Characters, Ranked in Order of Awesomeness

Engage! Star Trek: The Next Generation has long been arguably the favorite series for Trekkies, and these are the TV show's best characters.

Following on from the seminal original series' diverse cast of characters and thought-provoking storylines, Star Trek: The Next Generation would up the ante in every aspect. On screen from 1987 to 1994, and the first live-action follow-up to Star Trek , Next Generation ran for the course of seven series and four feature-length films, helmed behind the scenes by the mind of the original series, Gene Roddenberry, and charismatically on screen by Patrick Stewart.

Trekkies and critics alike would appreciate the show in equal high measure too: Next Generation won 18 Emmy Awards throughout its run, and was ranked 37th on Empire Magazine's list of the "50 Greatest Television Shows." Fronted by the extraordinary Patrick Stewart, Next Generation gave fans incredible storylines based on unity, race, sex and war. It was a smart science fiction prime time series that refused to dumb itself down for the sake of a quick click.

Diana Troi's mother and Wesley Crusher thankfully do not appear anywhere on this list.

8 Worf, Son of Mogh (Played by Michael Dorn)

With Worf came all the background and religious elements of the Klingon empire. Formerly just deformed villains in the original series, Worf humanized the warrior race above simply savage antagonists (despite that Worf seemingly never won a fight). While acting as Chief of Security, he would bring his forceful approach and battle skills to the role, which he later applied to his own parenting skills. A popular character, fans have often expressed interest in a Worf spin-off TV series .

7 Guinan (Played by Whoopi Goldberg)

Forget the Mos Eisley Cantina, Guinan is the definitive space bartender. The El-Aurian would stand in as a shoulder to cry on and dish out valuable advice to anyone who would seek it. When The Enterprise first encounters The Borg, Guinan is an invaluable resource for the crew when detailing that The Borg wiped out her entire race. Whoopi Goldberg's performance is excellent, and Guinan returns in the second season of Star Trek: Picard.

6 The Borg Queen (Played by Alice Krige)

YAAS, BORG QUEEN! Featured as the main antagonist in First Contact , The Borg Queen is equal parts villainous as she is seductress. The Queen gave the homogeneous Borg a new voice. She is conniving and sexualized, willing to manipulate and use her male opposites for the good of Borg universal domination, as she did with Data. Her introduction, as her head and shoulders are lowered into a torso, remains tremendously creepy. Another Borg Queen recently featured in Series Two of Picard .

5 Q (Played by John de Lancie)

A metaphysical trickster. A flim-flam artist. The boy with a magnifying glass. A god. With a self professed IQ of 2005, " Q " is an all-powerful being who lives to only cause mischief at the expense of The Enterprise and its forever frustrated captain. As a returning antagonist throughout the Next Generation , Q is one of the few characters on this list to appear in multiple Star Trek series: The Next Generation, Deep Space 9, and Voyager .

Related: How William Shatner Could Return for the Next Star Trek Movie

Picard can only greet Q with a groan, as he appears at the most inopportune moments to mess with the team for his own curious desires. A fan of the theatrical and prone to multiple costume changes per episode, Q directly questions the human race while quoting Shakespeare with Picard. It's amazing that a character with unlimited power uses it to solely mess with people.

4 Geordi La Forge (Played by LeVar Burton)

Blind from birth, Geordi La Forge is forced to view the world through a futuristic visor covering his eyes. As another example of how diverse and forward-thinking the Next Generation (and Star Trek in general) was, Geordi La Forge showcases a young Black man excelling in his chosen field, and is forever likable while played by the overtly charismatic LeVar Burton. La Forge's almost brotherly relationship with Data really lets the series shine in the quieter moments.

3 Jean-Luc Picard (Played by Patrick Stewart)

Performed by high-profile English theater actor Patrick Stewart, who brought gravitas to this role, Picard had a cunning mind and a diplomacy with him, captaining his ship with an air of zero BS - and a penchant for earl grey tea. Picard is one of the enduring science fiction characters and the out-and-out leader of a crew of characters. His typical episodes would usually focus on games of wit, honor, and procedure, often showing that the Federation and its old guard have many cracks. Stewart's performance as Picard may have reached its zenith in the episodes "Chain of Command Pts I & II," when Picard is taken prisoner and tortured by a cardassian. Offered escape by giving in to the torturer's lie, an exhausted Picard refuses.

2 Data (Played by Brent Spiner)

Data (played by a pitch perfect Brent Spiner) remains one of the best on-screen androids ever committed to screen in a playful take on Wizard of Oz 's Tin Man. One of the best parts of Star Trek , over the course of the seven seasons, Data is seen to actually grow and learn.

Related: Wil Wheaton Responds to The Next Generation Reunion Snub in Picard

As a cutting edge piece of technology, with his distinctive chalk-white skin and yellow eyes, Data would learn and question the goings-on of the human race all while evolving himself. Sweet and childlike, while studious and imbued with otherworldly strength and speed, Data represents a future we can only aspire to achieve (when he hasn't malfunctioned and runs amok, that is).

1 William T. Riker (Played by Jonathan Frakes)

As a combination of the best and worst parts of both Picard and Kirk, Riker is a suave gentleman and lothario in equal measure. With his broad chest, and beard in season two, we as fans were robbed in never getting a Riker-exclusive iteration series of Star Trek . The will-they-or-won't-they push and pull of Riker and Diana (Miranda Sirtis) always kind of dragged, but when let loose, Riker is a backwards sitting, manspreading, trombone-tooting playboy. Captaining the ship when his captain was taken prisoner by The Borg, Riker's calmness in war would be needed to keep Earth safe. The best Number One a captain could ever ask for, he works hard, but plays harder.

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‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’: Ranking the Crew, From Picard to Pulaski

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Thirty years ago, “Star Trek” proved it wasn’t just a story about Kirk and Spock; it was a story universe rich with possibilities, including a whole new cast of characters.

Ranking the men and women of “ Star Trek: The Next Generation ” is a far more brutal task than initially anticipated because, as the series kept telling us the whole time, this wasn’t a crew. This was a family. That said, let’s be honest. Family might inspire love on an equal playing field, but when it comes to actually spending time with people, favorites do emerge.

This is strictly limited to those who served as actual crew members (sorry, Q and Lwaxana Troi) because one of the best things about “Trek’s” approach to a military structure is how it still allows the show to celebrate individual personalities. Because as much fun as space travel is, a “Trek” series lives or dies by its characters.

17. Dr. Katherine Pulaski

For the record, this is not actor Diana Muldaur’s fault. When Gates McFadden left “Next Generation” at the end of Season 1 (for  a variety of complicated reasons ), the ship needed a new doctor. But while the idea of bringing in a new female character over the age of 40 (Pulaski dated Riker’s dad once!) was conceptually a fresh approach for the genre — hell, for television in general — Dr. Pulaski never gelled with the rest of the crew, and McFadden’s return in Season 3 was a welcome relief.

16. Lieutenant Reginald Barclay

On a ship full of humanity’s best, Barclay was decidedly flawed. In fact, he was set up as essentially a parody of nerd culture (which is pretty rude, considering that “Next Generation” featured a passionate, perhaps even “nerdy” fanbase). More importantly, he caused way more problems than he solved and was never much of a sympathetic character despite his lighter moments.

15. Tasha Yar

A character inspired by Vasquez (Jeanette Goldberg) from James Cameron’s “Aliens,” Yar was the ship’s muscle for much of the first season… until Denise Crosby decided to leave the show. She was essentially replaced by Worf in this regard, which could be seen as an improvement, except that there could always be more badass women in science fiction, especially on “Trek.”

14. Keiko O’Brien

A botanist we first meet as she’s about to marry Miles O’Brien (an in media res sort of move that we have a lot of respect for), Keiko was an interesting example of how the show was able to build a world beyond each week’s missions.

13. Miles O’Brien

Colm Meaney made semi-regular appearances for six seasons of “Next Generation” before becoming a regular on “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.” While on that show, the character’s full potential was truly revealed. But while on “TNG” O’Brien had some charming moments, there’s a reason why  one of the best webcomics ever made  is based on the ennui that he must have experienced, humbly operating that transporter pad.

12. Ensign Ro Laren

This tough-as-nails Bajoran officer was our initial introduction to the Bajor-Cardassian conflict, which would be a fundamental foundation of “DS9.” Unfortunately, because Michelle Forbes was infamously skittish about signing up for ongoing series during the ’90s, Ro never got the character development enjoyed by other folk. That said, the episode “Rascals,” where she learned how to have fun as a child was… um. Fun.

11. Ensign Alyssa Ogawa

A very minor character, in theory, but the show’s erstwhile nurse made 16 appearances during the show’s run and had her own arc, with a romantic life that eventually led to her becoming a mother. Nurse Ogawa was always a pleasant presence and much appreciated.

10. Wesley Crusher

Wesley was, um,  a polarizing figure for sci-fi fans at the time , given the fact that as a teen genius who was perhaps rightly labeled as a Marty Sue, he could be a bit grating. But Wesley was also a nice, decent kid, and “TNG” showcased him best by letting that side peek out. The episode where he makes out with Ashley Judd will always be a classic.

9. Deanna Troi

Playing an “empath” is an odd requirement for an actor, and Troi had to deal with a lot of odd storylines. But she occasionally got some meat to chew into, especially given the fact that her rank as a Starfleet officer meant that she was technically more integrated into the military aspects of the series than expected. And she wore some fun jumpsuits! Troi was great.

Continue Reading: ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’: Ranking the Crew, From Picard to Pulaski Next »

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The 10 Best 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' Characters, Ranked

These might be the best characters in the Star Trek franchise.

Star Trek would not be the franchise it is today without Star Trek: The Next Generation . It proved that the adventures of Starfleet officers didn't have to be limited to Kirk, Spock, and the other crew members of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Picking up a hundred years later, the crew of the Enterprise-D were now going boldly.

The series' popularity would be significant enough to spawn further spin-offs set in the same era, four movies featuring the Next Generation cast, and would even have a direct sequel with Star Trek: Picard . The crew of the Enterprise-D would become just as iconic as their predecessors.

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Set almost 100 years after Captain Kirk's 5-year mission, a new generation of Starfleet officers sets off in the U.S.S. Enterprise-D on its own mission to go where no one has gone before.

10 Lieutenant Tasha Yar

Played by denise crosby.

Played by Denise Crosby , Tasha Yar's life was marred with tragedy. She was raised on a planet terrorized by gangs. Orphaned at a young age, she left her horrific home planet to join Starfleet, becoming Chief of Security on the Enterprise. Not even a year into the Enterprise's mission, she was killed by the alien Armus in a display of power.

Despite only appearing in 24 episodes, Yar established herself as a loyal and capable officer. Her impact on her fellow officers would last for decades, with Data-- with whom she'd had a one-night stand-- recalling her lovingly nearly forty years later.

9 Ensign Wesley Crusher

Played by wil wheaton.

Wesley Crusher ( Wil Wheaton ) was a precocious teenager upon arriving at the Enterprise with his mother. With his high intelligence and dedication to the ship, he was given the position of Acting Ensign, eventually receiving a field commission and manning the helm.

Wesley served as a point-of-view character for many young fans of Star Trek . His intelligence and enthusiasm were geeky but endearing. Eventually, Wesley left the Enterprise to become a Traveler, a group of people who protected the fabric of space and time.

8 Counselor Deanna Troi

Played by marina sirtis.

Deanna Troi's alien heritage as a Betazoid gave her empathic powers, which helped with her job. She guided the crew during emotional problems and acted as an advisor to Picard. She frequently dealt with her overbearing mother and her former romance with Commander Riker .

Troi's empathy made her a trusted confidant for the entire crew. She would display several surprising traits, such as wanting to play the mysterious, shotgun-wielding stranger Durango in Worf and his son's Holodeck Western and getting drunk with Zephram Cochrane, the inventor of Warp Drive.

7 Lieutenant Commander Geordi LaForge

Played by levar burton.

Geordi LaForge started as the helmsman on the Enterprise-D but was quickly promoted to Chief Engineer. Blind at birth, LaForge used a VISOR device that allowed him to see in several spectrums, including infrared and ultraviolet. His closest friend on the ship was Data, playing Watson to Data's Holmes on the Holodeck.

LaForge's understanding of the Enterprise-D was unparalleled , even being able to recreate the crashed ship over 25 years. His abilities as an engineer even impressed Montgomery Scott.

6 Lieutenant Worf

Played by michael dorn.

Worf was a symbol of the alliance between the Klingons and the Federation, being a Klingon orphan raised by Humans. When Yar was killed, he took up her position as Security Chief. Worf's devotion to Klingon practices would conflict with his Starfleet career, such as when he killed Duras for assassinating Worf's lover.

Worf's sense of honor was unwavering . Despite a prickly demeanor, he developed a close relationship with Deanna, even having a brief romance with her. He was deeply respected by both the crew of the Enterprise-D and on his next posting on Deep Space Nine.

5 Doctor Beverly Crusher

Played by gates mcfadden.

Beverly Crusher was Chief Medical Officer. She was the widow of Picard's best friend but had an unresolved romantic tension with Picard that spanned the length of their time on the Enterprise. She struggled as a single parent to a genius child, Wesley.

Crusher dealt with not only all the medical problems the crew suffered from -- including saving Picard from the Borg-- but also served as a night officer on the bridge. She was one of the few confidants Picard had among his crew.

Played by Whoopi Goldberg

Guinan was a centuries-old El-Aurian who worked as the bartender in Ten Forward. She had a long history with Picard, which from her point of view, started when she met the time-traveling Picard in 19th-century San Francisco. With her long life, Guinan offered a different perspective to the crew.

Guinan was a complex character. Despite the wise calm she showed, her violent dislike of Q and the Borg deeply colored her judgment. While officially only the bartender on the ship, her sage advice was considered in every situation , from dealing with the Borg to the trial over Data's humanity.

3 Commander William Riker

Played by jonathan frakes.

William Riker fulfilled the Kirk role as the swaggering romantic adventurer. A lover of jazz and women, Riker had a more personable relationship with the crew than the standoffish Picard. He was a devoted First Officer, turning down promotions to Captain because he didn't want to settle for a ship he thought was less than the Enterprise.

Without Riker's leadership, the Borg would have conquered the Earth , and Picard would have remained assimilated. Riker was such a force he could not be contained in one person, having a transporter accident duplicate named Thomas.

2 Captain Jean-Luc Picard

Played by patrick stewart.

Jean-Luc Picard was a diplomat, scholar, and adventurer. From a family of French winemakers, Picard easily could have pursued his interest in archeology but was drawn to the stars. While somewhat aloof-- especially with children-- Picard was always respected by his crew and developed bonds with everyone on his crew.

Picard's skills as a captain would make him a living legend on the same level as Captain Kirk. Picard saw his crew through hundreds of dangerous conflicts and first contacts with alien species. His crew achieved greatness because of his leadership.

1 Lieutenant Commander Data

Played by Brent Spiner

Data was the most sophisticated android ever built. Data's incredible positronic brain would save the Enterprise many times, but it was his journey to understand humanity that formed a majority of Data's life. Without the ability to feel emotions, Data struggled to understand the living beings around him.

Data would have to fight for his personhood when Starfleet claimed he was their property. He fought — and deactivated — his evil twin, Lore. Eventually, he saved the entire crew of the Enterprise by sacrificing himself.

KEEP READING: 'Star Trek: The Original Series': The 10 Most Powerful Characters, Ranked

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Characters / Star Trek: The Next Generation

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• Cpt. Jean-Luc Picard
• Recurring Crew and Dependents note  Lt. Reginald Barclay, Guinan, Keiko O'Brien, Transporter Chief Miles O'Brien, Molly O'Brien, Nurse Alyssa Ogawa, Dr. Katherine Pulaski, Ensign Ro Laren, Alexander Rozhenko
• Other recurring characters note  Duras, The Duras Sisters, Gowron, Homm, Hugh, Cpt. Edward Jellico, K'Heleyr, K'mpec, Kurn, Lore, Gul Madred, Prof. James Moriarty, Alynna Nechayev, Q, Cmd. Sela, Noonian Soong, Ambassador Spock, Cmd. Tomalak, Lwaxana Troi

Alternative Title(s): Star Trek The Next Generation William Thomas Riker , Star Trek The Next Generation Worf , Star Trek The Next Generation Deanna Troi , Star Trek The Next Generation Miles Edward O Brien

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• Star Trek: The Next Generation - Main Characters

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Star Trek: The Next Generation - Ranking Every Major Character Worst To Best

Why Reginald Barclay is secretly better than Jean Luc Picard...

When Star Trek: The Next Generation hit the airwaves back in 1987 it had some pretty big shoes to fill. Although the original Star Trek had a short run, by the 1980s it had become a cultural phenomenon.

Star Trek introduced us to some of the most iconic characters to ever hit the small screen. You had the cool, and logical Mr. Spock. Then there was the swashbuckling, devil-may-care Captain Kirk. And, who can forget the crotchety Dr. McCoy?

This original cast reunited for three successful movies, adding to their fan appeal. And, as Star Trek conventions became popular many fans felt connected to the cast on a personal level.

So, when CBS announced that Star Trek would be returning to tv audiences rejoiced. They couldn't wait to catch up with these classic characters. However, hopes were dashed when fans learned this new show would come with a new crew as well.

Luckily, for fans, the new characters proved to be dynamic and interesting in their own right. Which makes ranking the TNG characters, from worst to best, all the harder.

We're not ranking based on fan popularity, or actor's performance. We’re judging each character on their story arcs, and how well they're written.

So, some of your fan favorites may not even crack the top ten! Let's get started with the worst character from Star Trek: The Next Generation.

And no, it's not Wesley.

If you don’t remember, Mot is the blue-skinned, Bolian barber. He is also, without a doubt, the worst character on Star Trek: The Next Generation. If you do a little research into his species you’ll find that few Bolians have hair. It’s pretty suspicious that this guy would even be a barber. It’s like a human deciding they want to sharpen Ferengi teeth for a living.

Unsurprisingly, Mot is a terrible barber. If you don’t believe it just look at what he did to Worf. One of the fiercest Klingon warriors in the galaxy, and Mot gave him a freaking bob cut? It’s like he was trying to sabotage the poor man. Probably an effort to weaken Klingon-Federation relations.

Mot was also known to give unsolicited, strategic advice to both Commander Riker and Captain Picard. Much to their annoyance.

Was Mot an embedded Romulan agent posing as a civilian barber on Starfleet’s flagship? We’ll never know… but, probably right?

John is a teacher and writer living in Texas. He spends far too much time watching Star Trek. Check out more if his work at artofnarrative.com

• View history

Lore was a Soong-type android constructed by Doctor Noonien Soong and Juliana Soong at the Omicron Theta colony . Built in Dr. Soong's own image, Lore was the fourth android they constructed and embodied the first successful example of a fully functional positronic brain . An earlier model Soong-type android protype, B-4 , also had a positronic brain, but of a less sophisticated type, resulting in a simple-minded personality. ( TNG : " Inheritance ", " Datalore ", " Brothers "; Star Trek Nemesis )

Lore's head, removed from his body

Lore was extremely advanced and sentient , possessing megastrength , speed and intelligence when compared to a Human . Lore's emotional programming was also very advanced. However, he began displaying signs of emotional instability and malevolence, leading Lore to see himself as superior to Humans. Lore frightened the other colonists , who demanded that Soong deactivate him. Lore later claimed that they saw him as "too perfect", and were envious. ( TNG : " Brothers ", " Silicon Avatar ", " Inheritance ")

Eventually, Soong capitulated, but not before Lore had secretly contacted the Crystalline Entity in a bid for revenge, offering it the planet 's life to ensure his own survival. After deactivating and dismantling Lore, Soong set about constructing Lore's brother , Data , an android without destabilizing emotions. ( TNG : " Datalore ", " Brothers ", " Silicon Avatar ", " The Offspring ")

Lore's positronic net differed from Data's: it had a Type-"L" phase discriminator compared to Data's Type-"R". ( TNG : " Time's Arrow ")

Soong placed Lore's components into storage, intending to eventually correct Lore's behavioral problems. Lore later harbored resentment towards his creator for abandoning him. Yet, when he met his father again on Terlina III and learned that Soong was dying, he was sincerely upset and, for a brief moment, he displayed a genuine concern for his father. Nevertheless, Lore's malevolent streak soon prevailed. ( TNG : " Brothers ")

Data with Lore in 2364

Following Lore's communiques, the Crystalline Entity attacked Omicron Theta in 2338 and destroyed all life on the planet. Both Lore and Data were left behind, but Data was subsequently discovered by the crew of the USS Tripoli . Lore remained in Soong's laboratory until 2364 , when the USS Enterprise -D arrived at the planet. The ship's chief engineer , Lieutenant Commander Argyle , and chief medical officer , Dr. Beverly Crusher , were successful in reactivating the android. ( TNG : " Datalore ")

Although initially presenting himself as willing to please and serve Humans, sharing some information about his ' childhood ' in the colony with his ' brother ', Lore swiftly returned to his previous ways. Deactivating Data, Lore stole his uniform and masqueraded as him. Lore summoned the Crystalline Entity once again, intending to feed the crew of the Enterprise -D to it. His treachery was discovered due to the differences between him and Data (such as Lore's use of contractions ), and he was transported into open space . ( TNG : " Datalore ", " Silicon Avatar ")

Lore drifted in space for nearly two years , until he was rescued by a passing Pakled trade ship . Lore subsequently responded to the homing signal intended by Soong to draw Data to Soong's new laboratory on Terlina III . After Soong had reactivated Lore, Lore expressed frustration at his father's 'dismissal' of him in favor of working on Data, but was apparently as close to upset as he could come when he learned that Soong was dying , protesting that his father seemed fine despite his obvious age .

Emotions installed

However, his grief for his father was overshadowed by his anger when he learned that Soong had summoned Data to him with the intention of giving Data an emotion chip that would allow him to feel Human emotions (as Data's emotionless "childhood" had given him a greater understanding of right and wrong). Lore became sore and resented his father's 'favoritism' of Data, despite Soong's protests that he had never designed a chip for Lore simply because he assumed that Lore had remained deactivated. Despite Soong's attempt to placate Lore, Lore nevertheless tricked Soong by posing as his brother and stealing the chip for himself. Because the chip was not designed for him, it caused Lore to become even more unstable and he mortally wounded Soong before departing the planet once again. ( TNG : " Brothers ")

In 2369 , Lore discovered a group of Borg that had been disconnected from the Collective after integrating Hugh 's sense of individuality into the hive. Lore styled himself their leader and gave his Borg individual names, coercing them into becoming his fanatical followers. He began cruel experiments on them, attempting to replace their organic brains with positronic components. Meanwhile, Lore influenced their behavior, which made their attacks more violent – they ceased to assimilate individuals, and instead began murdering them.

Lore leading the Borg

Lore directed his Borg followers to launch attacks on targets in Federation space , in order to lure the Enterprise -D – and thus Data – in an elaborate attempt to use the emotion chip to manipulate Data to his side. Lore had modified the chip so that it could remotely instill anger and hatred in Data. Confused with his new emotions, and with his ethical subroutines deactivated, Data betrayed the crew of the Enterprise -D and joined Lore at his base . ( TNG : " Descent ")

While in Borg captivity, Geordi La Forge was able to instruct Captain Jean-Luc Picard as to modifying a Borg interlink transceiver in order to reset Data's ethical program with a kedion pulse , restoring his sense of right and wrong. Data would still experience negative emotions; however, he could at least choose whether or not to act upon them.

Permanently deactivated

Upon realizing Lore's malign nature, Data fired upon and deactivated Lore, whose last words were " I… love you… brother. " Lore was subsequently dismantled – and the emotion chip, though damaged, was removed and returned to its rightful owner. ( TNG : " Descent, Part II ") Two years later , Data finally had the chip installed. ( Star Trek Generations )

Following the lifting of the ban on synthetics, Altan began construction on a new golem to serve as a 'totality', combining the memory data of B-4, Lal, and Soong himself with the personalities of Data and Lore into a singular being. He gave the new golem an older appearance, based on an aged Soong, hoping to reflect the wisdom of age. Unfortunately, Soong died before he could complete this golem, and Starfleet seized his work, storing it at Daystrom Station . The integration appeared to have failed, and Data and Lore were at odds with each other inside the golem, each trying to seize control. ( PIC : " The Bounty ", " Dominion ") Following the android's activation, Lore would interrupt Data, taking control over the android. While placed into a cognitive-function-only mode, Lore interjected in Data's attempts to explain the situation to Picard, in order to insult him. Lore seized control of the android while plugged in to the USS Titan -A 's computer. Lore locked Geordi La Forge out of Engineering and lowered the ship's force fields, taunting La Forge for trying to appeal to Data's memories of friendship. La Forge was able to successfully appeal to Data, who took control of the android from Lore. ( PIC : " Dominion ") La Forge lifted the partition separating Data and Lore in an attempt to get Data to take full control over the android so he could help retake the Titan , but Lore began swiftly overpowering and deleting Data's personality. As he was deleted, Data handed over his own memories to Lore, including those of playing poker with his friends aboard the Enterprise -D, and, finally, his memories of Spot , stating that he was handing over the memories because while Data had everything, Lore had nothing. Upon taking those last memories, Lore completed the process of deleting Data from the android but Lore began to experience the effects of deletion himself, and Data's personality returned. Data had deduced that Lore would not be able to resist taking his memories as trophies. He had taken the things that had made Data who he was, and as such, the two personalities became "one" and Lore merged into Data. The brothers said goodbye to one another as Lore's personality was finally overwritten with that of Data. Data later tells La Forge that he's Data, but he's also Lore, B-4 and everything else that Dr. Soong programed into the android. ( PIC : " Surrender ")

A Lore head taken from a bottle of Data bubble bath

Years after Lore's deactivation at the Borg compound, bottles of bubble bath that bore the likeness of Lore were in circulation, and by 2381 , were sometimes being surreptitiously used to represent the limited edition Commander Data bottles. They were differentiated from the Data bottles by having a furrowed brow and a smirk. ( LD : " An Embarrassment Of Dooplers ")

Lore's personality in Daystrom Android M-5-10

Memorable Quotes [ ]

" The troublesome little man-child. Are you prepared for the kind of death you've earned, little man? "

" Now, show me your warrior fierceness. "

" I am not less perfect than Lore. "

" Often-Wrong's got a broken heart; 
can't even tell his boys apart. "


" Where's Data? You didn't fill Data with substandard parts, did you, old man? No. That honor was bestowed upon me. You owe me, old man. Not him. Me. "

" Data. "
 " That's not Data. " 
" What? "
 " You should listen to her, captain. She's way ahead of you. "
 " Lore! "

" They had lost their sense of purpose. Well, I gave them their purpose… and they gave me mine. "


" The reign of biological life-forms is coming to an end. You, Picard, and those like you, are obsolete! "

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• " Datalore " (Season 1)
• " Brothers " (Season 4)
• " Descent " (Season 6)
• " Descent, Part II " (Season 7)
• LD : " An Embarrassment Of Dooplers " (likeness on bubble bath bottle) (Season 2)

Background information [ ]

Lore was played by Brent Spiner in all of his four appearances but only received credit for his second appearance. Ken Gildin , Brian Tomlinson , Dana Vitatoe , and Guy Vardaman served as photo doubles for Spiner in these episodes while Brian J. Williams was the stunt double in the episodes " Datalore " and " Descent, Part II ".

Lore was originally planned to be a female android, to provide a love interest for Data. Her job would have been to go out and repair dangerous situations. It was Brent Spiner who suggested the old " evil twin " concept be used instead. ( Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion  (2nd ed., p. 46)) The female android concept was later used in the third season episode " The Offspring ", although this interpretation had the new android as Data's " child " rather than a potential love interest.

The Pakled costume worn by Spiner as Lore in " Brothers " was sold off on the It's A Wrap! sale and auction for US$2,155.00. [1] Other items which were sold off on eBay include the special effects thumb from "Brothers". [2] Dana Vitatoe's costume from "Brothers", [3] Spiner and Williams' costume from " Descent " and "Descent, Part II", [4] [5] and the utility jumpsuit from "Datalore". [6]

External links [ ]

• Lore at StarTrek.com
• Lore at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• 2 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

10 Background Characters Star Trek Fans Love

• Background characters in Star Trek add depth to the universe, making it feel lived-in and real.
• Beloved regular faces like Lt. M'Ress, Nurse Ogawa, and Mr. Mot enhance Star Trek shows.
• From Lt. Linus to Dr. Migleemo, each background character brings their own unique charm to the series.

There's something about beloved Star Trek background characters that really helps its universe feel lived-in and real. While the primary action is taking place, it's up to the background actors to make the sets look like genuine places where people are going about their business. These are the folks at the bridge stations who aren't in the opening credits. They're the assistants to the main characters. They're the beloved regular faces spotted among the crowds in establishing shots, and the names floating around duty rosters and civilian gossip that remind viewers that there's more to Star Trek than the captains and chief engineers.

There are so many background characters from all of the Star Trek shows who are beloved by fans, of course. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's Promenade is full of colorful background characters without names or personal histories, like the singing Klingon chef (Ron Taylor). Star Trek: Voyager features recurring background characters, since being stuck in the Delta Quadrant means no new Starfleet officers can join the crew. Star Trek: The Next Generation features background characters who sometimes level up to become proper guest stars , and in one famous case, a series regular: the "most important person in Starfleet" and original lower-decker, Chief Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney). Here are 10 background characters Star Trek fans love.

20 Best New Star Trek Characters Of The Last 20 Years

Lt. m'ress (majel barrett), star trek: the animated series.

Lt. M'Ress is a Caitian officer with a seat on the USS Enterprise bridge, created for Star Trek: The Animated Series when Star Trek 's jump to animation meant that the aliens in Star Trek were no longer restrained by what the makeup department could physically create. As the first Caitian in Star Trek , M'Ress sets the standard for the feline alien species , later echoed by Star Trek 's other animated Caitian, Dr. T'Ana (Gillian Vigman) in Star Trek: Lower Decks .

Like many background characters, M'Ress' cool character design is a top reason for her appeal, but M'Ress earns her spot on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise by being a capable officer. M'Ress' duties as relief communications officer include communication within the Enterprise as well as to outside vehicles, along with scientific duties as situations arise, similar to the duties of primary communications officer Lt. Nyota Uhura (Nichelle Nichols).

Lt. M'Ress appeared in 2 episodes of the "anything but canon" animated web series Star Trek: very Short Treks, voiced by Cristina Milizia.

Lt. T'Veen (Stephanie Czajkowski)

Star trek: picard.

The starship action of Star Trek: Picard season 3 takes place primarily aboard the USS Titan-A, and as such, introduces a brand-new bridge crew of younger Starfleet officers, one of which is the Vulcan Lt. T'Veen. T'Veen stands out as both a woman and a Vulcan for her striking bald appearance , marking her look as both novel and unique. Actor Stephanie Czajkowski suggests that T'Veen may have some Deltan ancestry, but in reality, T'Veen's lack of locks comes from Czajkowski's own battles with cancer.

When Vadic (Amanda Plummer) commandeers the Titan in Star Trek: Picard season 3, episode 8, "Surrender" , T'Veen is one of the Titan bridge officers used as leverage against Vadic's request for Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers). At this point in Picard , the Titan's crew are painted as candidates for a potential spinoff show, but Lt. T'Veen's shocking death at Vadic's hand sends the message that no one is safe.

Sonya Gomez (Lycia Naff)

Star trek: the next generation, star trek: lower decks.

The original claim to fame for Ensign Sonya Gomez (Lycia Naff) is being the eager young engineer who unfortunately spills hot chocolate on Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) in Star Trek: The Next Generation , season 2, episode 16, "Q Who". Serving on the USS Enterprise-D with Lt. Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) is Gomez's dream job, and the chocolate-covered Captain isn't going to earn her any high marks. La Forge recognizes Gomez's talent as an antimatter specialist, and helps Sonya focus, despite the gaffe.

Lycia Naff makes a triumphant return to Star Trek as Captain Sonya Gomez in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 2, episode 10, "First First Contact", commanding the USS Archimedes with the same compassionate focus on problem-solving that La Forge had as Gomez's mentor. Captain Gomez's story is proof that Star Trek characters do learn from their earliest mistakes , and can come out on top in the end.

Mr. Mot (Ken Thorley)

Star trek: the next generation.

In an interesting twist, Mr. Mot is a barber working on the USS Enterprise-D, and happens to be a Bolian, a species that has no hair of their own. Nonetheless, Commander William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) says that the civilian Mot is the best barber in Starfleet . There's more to being a barber than just cutting hair, after all, and Mot's listening ears are available to anyone who comes to sit in his barbershop chair, as long as they don't mind receiving a little free advice on the side.

The Bolian barber became an entrepreneur.

After providing excellent service to the crew on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Mot grew even more successful. The Bolian barber became an entrepreneur, which is evident by the presence of Mr. Mot's Hair Emporium as one of the many businesses in Stardust City, on the planet Freecloud, as seen in Star Trek: Picard season 1, episode 5, "Stardust City Rag".

Bolians are named for Star Trek director Cliff Bole, who directed a total of 42 episodes between his work on Star Trek: The Next Generation , Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , and Star Trek: Voyager .

10 Star Trek Characters Fans See Themselves In

Groundskeeper boothby (ray walston), star trek: the next generation, star trek: voyager.

Mr. Boothby is a positive influence on generations of Starfleet officers at Starfleet Academy, but one would be wrong to assume that Boothby is an accomplished instructor working to shape young minds, because Boothby works at Starfleet Academy as the head groundskeeper. Groundskeeper Boothby's no-nonsense approach to the natural development of the Academy's flora also applies to how Boothby interacts with Starfleet cadets .

Boothby's influence on the USS Voyager crew was evident in Star Trek: Voyager season 5, episode 4, "In the Flesh", when a Species 8472 leader took on the guise of Boothby in a Starfleet Academy simulation, instead of a high-ranking Admiral.

Sometimes, Boothby's advice is harsh, as was the case with Jean-Luc Picard as a Starfleet Academy cadet. But in the end, Boothby always has an uncanny sensibility for knowing exactly how to cultivate the best forms of both botanical specimens and future Starfleet officers.

Lt. Kayshon (Carl Tart)

Star trek: lower decks.

Lt. Kayshon has the honor of being the first Tamarian in Starfleet , debuting in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 2, episode 2, "Kayshon, His Eyes Open", as the USS Cerritos' new security officer. The Tamarians, first seen in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 5, episode 2, "Darmok", have a puzzling metaphorical language reliant on background knowledge of Tamarian culture. The Tamarian phrases from "Darmok" have been adopted by Star Trek fans as a fun way to signal our fandom to each other, so it makes sense that a Tamarian officer should show up on Star Trek: Lower Decks , itself a celebration of Star Trek 's own weird and wonderful moments.

Kayshon spends more time in the background after his first episode, still part of the USS Cerritos' security team. The years between "Picard and Dathon at El-Adred" and Kayshon's assignment to the USS Cerritos in Star Trek: Lower Decks mean the communication gap between Kayshon and the rest of the USS Cerritos' crew is much smaller than it might have been in the past. Kayshon communicates in Federation Standard, but still slips into Tamarian metaphor from time to time, which just adds new phrases to the Tamarian lexicon.

Dr. Migleemo (Paul F. Tompkins)

In Dr. Migleemo, Star Trek: Lower Decks continues the tradition that was established with Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) on Star Trek: The Next Generation by having a counselor aboard the USS Cerritos . Strictly speaking, Migleemo is not the galaxy's best counselor , with a whole plateful of food metaphors that don't always land butter-side-up, but Migleemo's heart is always in the right place.

As a bird-like alien of an unspecified species, Dr. Migleemo's character design pays homage to Star Trek: The Animated Series , since a bird man in a tweed suit may not translate that well to live action, but works perfectly for animation.

Even though Migleemo is bad at his job, it's in a way that's not actively harmful, but makes you want to root for him, just like any other lower decker on the Cerritos. Sometimes Migleemo gets it right , after all, like counseling Ensign D'Vana Tendi (Noël Wells) in the senior science officer training program in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 3, episode 3, "Mining the Mind's Mines".

Nurse Alyssa Ogawa (Patti Yasutake)

Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) usually has assistants in the background of the USS Enterprise-D's sick bay, and one of these, Nurse Alyssa Ogawa, is a regular background character starting in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 4. Ogawa grows as a character over the course of TNG 's final four seasons , receiving a full name as of Star Trek: The Next Generation season 5, episode 18, "Cause and Effect", and developing as a character through Ogawa's casual conversations with Dr. Crusher about Alyssa's dating history.

Nurse Ogawa gets more to do when Ogawa is one of the four USS Enterprise-D junior officers at the heart of Star Trek: The Next Generation season 7, episode 15, "Lower Decks" , focusing on the friendship between often-overlooked characters. Ogawa's story focuses on Alyssa's relationship with Lieutenant Andrew Powell, and culminates in their off-screen engagement.

Nurse Alyssa Ogawa also appears in two Star Trek movies: Star Trek: Generations and Star Trek: First Contact .

Lt. Linus (David Benjamin Tomlinson)

Star trek: discovery.

With Lt. Linus, Star Trek: Discovery shows in a casual, but meaningful way what it looks like to actively include someone with unique needs . Arriving in Star Trek: Discovery season 2, Lt. Linus is a Saurian science officer who never fails to provide a little levity just by being himself. By all accounts, Linus is well-liked among the USS Discovery's crew , with plenty of crew members referring to Linus and Saurian customs relatively favorably.

Lt. Linus is accepted as someone whose needs are a little different to most human officers'.

Starfleet easily makes accommodations available for Linus' differences in biology , granting personal time set aside for annual shedding, and providing heat lamps in Linus' quarters as needed. After Star Trek: Discovery 's time jump , Linus takes a little more time to understand the new 32nd-century technology, but he's never admonished for catching up to the learning curve. Instead, Lt. Linus is accepted as someone whose needs are a little different to most human officers'.

Every DS9 Alien In Star Trek: Discovery

Morn (mark allen shepherd), star trek: deep space nine.

Morn is a fixture in Quark's Bar from the start of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , the perennial barfly occupying the same seat at the end of the table. According to the other patrons at Quark's, Morn rarely shuts up, but the joke is, of course, that Morn is always cut off before delivering any speaking lines. Instead, the picture of who Morn really is slowly comes together through other people's comments and conversation about Morn, with the speculation about Morn's true identity finally coming to a head in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 6, episode 12, "Who Mourns for Morn". Morn's apparent death is a blow to the community and all who knew him, but also reveals surprising facts about DS9 's Morn , like Morn's secret riches and tactical mind, confirming that there was more to the enigmatic Lurian than Morn's signature bar stool.

True to form, Morn is seated at Quark's Bar when the USS Cerritos visits Deep Space Nine in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 3, episode 6, "Hear All, Trust Nothing".

Sometimes the Star Trek characters who aren't major players become some of the most beloved characters. When background characters on Star Trek attract the eyes of viewers with interesting character designs or memorable moments, they may wind up in expanded roles as their Star Trek shows go on. These featured background characters will get lines and names, and might even have a major part in an episode or two, but most live out their lives off-screen. From the bridge crew to the lower decks, from Starfleet officers to civilians, it's the unsung heroes in the background who keep Star Trek moving while the main action is taking place.

Star Trek: The Animated Series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, and Star Trek: Lower Decks are all streaming on Paramount+.

Screen Rant

3 star trek ships have crossed to & from the mirror universe.

Many Star Trek characters have met their Mirror counterparts but 3 starships have also crossed over from the Prime and Mirror Universes.

• Mirror Universe featured evil versions of Star Trek characters, with starships rarely crossing between universes.
• Star Trek: Enterprise revisited Mirror Universe with USS Defiant, while Star Trek: Discovery explored it with USS Discovery.
• ISS Enterprise appeared in Mirror Universe, where Spock implemented reforms for a more peaceful way of life.

Three Star Trek ships have crossed between the Mirror Universe and the Prime Universe. Introduced in the classic episode of Star Trek: The Original Series , "Mirror, Mirror," the Mirror Universe is a dark parallel reality featuring evil versions of Star Trek's characters. Although the Mirror Universe has popped up on several Star Trek series since its introduction, starships rarely make the jump between universes. In "Mirror, Mirror," it was a transporter malfunction that caused Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and his USS Enterprise crew members to end up in the Mirror Universe, but that's not the only way characters have traveled between the two realities.

Star Trek: Enterprise revisited the Mirror Universe with season 4's two-part episode, "In a Mirror, Darkly," which saw the return of the original USS Defiant. Star Trek: Discovery 's characters aboard the USS Discovery also visited the Mirror Universe in the show's first season. In Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 5 , "Mirrors," the ISS Enterprise made its first appearance since its introduction in Star Trek: The Original Series. In the Mirror Universe, the authoritarian Terran Empire rose instead of the United Federation of Planets, and Starfleet is comprised of warships like ISS Enterprise that conquer and subjugate other worlds. Here are 3 starships that crossed over between Star Trek 's Prime and Mirror Universes.

I'm Glad Star Trek: TNG Never Did A Mirror Universe Episode

The uss defiant in star trek: enterprise, star trek: the original series season 3, episode 9 - "the tholian web" & star trek: enterprise season 4, episodes 18 & 19 - "in a mirror, darkly".

Although Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's USS Defiant would become the more famous ship to bear the name, there have been multiple ships named Defiant , including a 23rd-century Constitution Class starship first seen in Star Trek: The Original Series . In the TOS episode, "The Tholian Web," the USS Enterprise was sent to locate the Defiant , which they found trapped between universes, with its entire crew dead due to apparent insanity and mutiny. In a conflict with the Tholians, the Defiant was pushed through a spatial hole to an unknown destination.

The final destination of the USS Defiant was revealed in Star Trek: Enterprise's Mirror Universe two-parter, "In a Mirror, Darkly." The Defiant both traveled back in time and crossed into the Mirror Universe. The Mirror Universe Tholians then began to salvage the ship, but Commander Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) of the ISS Enterprise NX-001 plotted to steal the Defiant and use its advanced 23rd technology to install himself as Emperor of the Terran Empire. Archer commandeered the Defiant but en route to Earth, Lt. Hoshi Sato (Linda Park) poisoned Archer and took command of the Defiant, declaring herself Empress.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine later introduced the Defiant Class USS Defiant, and the Mirror Universe had its own version although neither crossed universes.

The USS Discovery in Star Trek: Discovery

Star trek: discovery season 1.

Star Trek: Discovery season 1 spent five episodes in the Mirror Universe after Captain Gabriel Lorca (Jason Isaacs) manipulated the starship and crew back to the alternate reality he originated from. Previously unknown to the Discovery's crew, Lorca was actually from the Mirror Universe and intended to use Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) to gain access to Emperor Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) and her ship. Lorca altered the coordinates for Discovery's spore drive, knowingly taking the ship into the Mirror Universe.

In the Mirror Universe, Michael Burnham was the adopted daughter of Emperor Georgiou and plotted with her lover, Lorca, to kill her mother.

Once in the Mirror Universe, Discovery's crew had to masquerade as their evil counterparts as they searched for a way to get home. Burnham eventually discovered Lorca's ruse and thwarted his plan before Emperor Georgiou ultimately killed him. Lorca's betrayal deeply affected Burnham and the rest of Discovery's crew, and their time in the Mirror Universe greatly cost the Federation. When Discovery returned to the Prime Universe nine months after they had left, the Federation/Klingon War was going badly, but Burnham and Georgiou helped bring the conflict to an end.

Michelle Yeoh will reprise the role of Emperor Georgiou as the star of the upcoming Star Trek: Section 31 made-for-streaming film.

Star Trek’s 10 Most Evil Mirror Universe Characters

The iss enterprise in star trek: discovery, star trek: discovery season 5, episode 5 - "mirrors".

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 sends Captain Michael Burnham and the USS Discovery on an intergalactic treasure hunt for the powerful technology of the Progenitors , the creators of humanoid life. As part of their search, the crew of the Discovery finds a wormhole that leads to a pocket of interdimensional space, where they find the abandoned ISS Enterprise. The 23rd-century starship became a lifeboat for refugees fleeing the brutal Mirror Universe. According to a plaque on the ship, Mirror Universe Spock (Leonard Nimoy) implemented a series of reforms for a more peaceful way of life after his encounter with Prime Universe Captain Kirk (William Shatner).

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 filmed its ISS Enterprise scenes on the redressed USS Enterprise sets belonging to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

Although Spock was killed for his beliefs, he inspired others to set out in search of a better life. Despite an undoubtedly difficult journey, at least some of the refugees from the Mirror Universe's ISS Enterprise made a life for themselves in the Prime Universe. One of the refugees, a woman named Dr. Cho, became one of the seven scientists who helped hide the Progenitors' technology. She placed her clue on the ISS Enterprise, which remained undisturbed for centuries. Star Trek: Discovery season 5 has revisited several storylines from Star Trek's history, and the return of the ISS Enterprise serves as a nice shout-out to the Star Trek series where it all began.

Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: Enterprise, & Star Trek: Discovery are all available to stream on Paramount+.

Star Trek: The Original Series

Star trek: enterprise, star trek: discovery.

Star Trek’s Michael Dorn Wanted Worf To Kill A Popular Deep Space Nine Character In Picard Season 3, And I’m Glad This Didn’t Happen

I'm breathing a sigh of relief.

Although Star Trek: Picard Season 3 reunited most of the Star Trek: The Next Generation starring actors for the first time since 2002’s Star Trek: Nemesis , they didn’t all show up at once. In the case of Michael Dorn’s Worf , his first scene in the episode “Disengage” saw him rescuing Michelle Hurd’s Raffi Musiker from the crime lord Sneed, and he beheaded the Ferengi on his way out. But if Dorn had his way, he would have killed a different Ferengi instead: Quark, one of the other major characters from S tar Trek: Deep Space Nine , and I’m glad this didn’t happen.

Armin Shimerman, who played Quark for the entirety of Deep Space Nine ’s seven-season run, shared this tidbit of information while appearing on TrekMovie ’s All Access Star Trek podcast. Dorn came aboard Deep Space Nine at the beginning of Season 4 following The Next Generation’s conclusion, so he and Shimerman spent a lot of time together in the mid-late ‘90s, but decades later, the latter wasn’t particularly enthused about the former wanting to slice Quark’s head off. As he recalled:

Dorn called me up and said, ‘I’m doing an episode of Picard where I kill off a Ferengi. Wouldn’t it be great if it were you?’ I said, ‘Michael no, it would not be great.’ I told him just to forget about that idea altogether.

Jonathan Frakes , who was also a guest on this episode, speculated that Michael Dorn didn’t know Worf would be cutting Sneed’s head off, but Armin Shimerman told the William Riker actor and longtime Star Trek director that, at the very least, Dorn was aware Worf was going to kill a Ferengi. In the end though, it was Sneed who met this fate, with the character being played Aaron Stanford, who previously worked with showrunner Terry Matalas on the 12 Monkeys TV show.

Star Trek: Picard's Showrunner Reveals The True Purpose Of The Show's Ending, And It Actually Makes Me Optimistic About A Follow-Up

Star Trek: Picard Wrapped Up The Story For Patrick Stewart’s Character, But Now He May Be Getting A New Movie, And I Have Mixed Feelings

I am so relieved this Quark idea for Star Trek: Picard never came to fruition. Worf killing off a Ferengi criminal lord mere minutes after we meet this character is one thing, but for him to behead a character that not only is beloved by many Star Trek fans, but whom Worf had known for many years is another. Granted, as Dr. Julian Bashir once said, Quark was definitely not Worf’s “favorite person,” and he tried to steer clear of the bar owner whenever possible. But not only do I not believe that Quark would ever become a crime lord on Sneed’s level, I also don’t buy that Worf would have just killed his former… associate without blinking an eye.

If the day comes that Armin Shimerman reprises Quark in live-action, the character needs to be treated with the proper respect and not just be killed off for shock value. Star Trek: Lower Decks had the right idea, as Shimerman voiced Quark for a meaningful role in the Season 3 episode “Hear All, Trust Nothing.” The fan-proposed Star Trek: Legacy would be the best place for that to happen, though there’s still no word if that project stands a chance of becoming one of the upcoming Star Trek TV shows .

Picard , Deep Space Nine and all the other Star Trek shows (except for Prodigy , which is now at Netflix ) can be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription . Discovery is currently in the midst of its final season, and Lower Decks ’ final season will follow sometime afterwards on the 2024 TV schedule .

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Connoisseur of Marvel, DC, Star Wars, John Wick, MonsterVerse and Doctor Who lore, Adam is a Senior Content Producer at CinemaBlend. He started working for the site back in late 2014 writing exclusively comic book movie and TV-related articles, and along with branching out into other genres, he also made the jump to editing. Along with his writing and editing duties, as well as interviewing creative talent from time to time, he also oversees the assignment of movie-related features. He graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in Journalism, and he’s been sourced numerous times on Wikipedia. He's aware he looks like Harry Potter and Clark Kent.

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