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The Narada was a Romulan mining vessel that was in service in the late 24th century .

In 2387 , the Narada was commanded by Nero ; his second-in-command was Ayel .

• 3.1 Weapons
• 4.1 Background information
• 4.2 Apocrypha
• 4.3 External link

History [ ]

Following the destruction of Romulus by the supernova of the Romulan sun in 2387 , Nero took the Narada to intercept Ambassador Spock , who was attempting to create an artificial black hole which would consume the star before it destroyed more worlds. Both the Narada and Spock's ship, the Jellyfish , went missing after they were pulled into the black hole.

Interior of the Narada

The Narada emerged from the black hole, 75,000 kilometers from the edge of Klingon space , in the year 2233 , creating the alternate reality . There, the Narada encountered and attacked the USS Kelvin , easily overpowering the much smaller Federation starship . During the attack, the Kelvin 's commanding officer, Captain Richard Robau , was killed, forcing Lieutenant George Kirk to take command. With his ship heavily damaged and facing imminent annihilation by the Narada , Kirk gave the order to abandon ship. To save the lives of those evacuating in the shuttles , Kirk rammed the Kelvin into the Narada . Although the Narada sustained enough damage to ensure the safety of the Kelvin 's evacuees, the vessel was still operational.

The unfinished Narada surrounded by Klingon warbirds

The Narada warps after the Jellyfish

Twenty-five years later , the Narada was involved in an attack on a Klingon prison planet and the destruction of 47 Klingon warbirds . Shortly thereafter, the Jellyfish , with Spock aboard, emerged from the black hole and was immediately captured by the Narada . The Narada then left for Vulcan and drilled a hole into the planet , all the way to its core . When the Federation sent a small fleet to Vulcan to investigate the seismic disturbance , the Narada destroyed them shortly before the USS Enterprise arrived. The crew of the Enterprise successfully stopped the drill, but were unable to stop Nero from injecting red matter , taken from the Jellyfish , into the core of the planet, creating a black hole, which quickly consumed Vulcan.

The Narada is consumed by a black hole

Following Vulcan's destruction, Nero interrogated the captured Christopher Pike using Centaurian slugs , forcing the helpless captain to reveal Earth 's planetary defense codes . Nero took the Narada to Earth and began drilling into the San Francisco Bay . However, the drill platform was destroyed by that era's Spock using the Jellyfish , which he confiscated from the Narada . After drawing the Narada away from Earth, Spock rammed the Jellyfish into the Narada . The remaining red matter that was aboard the Jellyfish was ignited, creating a massive black hole that slowly began to crush the ship. Kirk offered to assist the crew of the Narada , but Nero refused. Kirk then had the Enterprise fire upon the Narada to ensure its destruction until the ship was pulled apart and ultimately devoured by the black hole. ( Star Trek )

• See : Narada personnel

Technical data [ ]

Weapons [ ].

Despite being only a mining vessel in its own time, the Narada possessed weaponry far more advanced than those of any of the ships it encountered in the 23rd century. The primary weapons seemed to be highly destructive missiles , each of which could break into several component projectiles. These projectiles were powerful enough to penetrate the standard shields that starships of the time utilized. The Narada housed at least enough of these weapons to easily destroy entire fleets of ships; more than fifty vessels were destroyed over twenty-five years.

As a mining vessel, the Narada also had an immense drilling apparatus , which was a platform at the end of a lengthy metallic line seemingly hundreds of kilometers long. The drill emitted a powerful beam that could penetrate a planet's surface and continue all the way to its core. The high energy output from the beam itself also acted as a disruptor of sorts, causing localized interference in both communications and transporter signals.

With the Jellyfish in its possession, the Narada could also deploy bombs loaded with the incredibly destructive red matter.

Appendices [ ]

Background information [ ].

The Narada was designed by James Clyne . Production designer Scott Chambliss wanted the ship to be asymmetrical, in contrast to the "perfect symmetry" of the Enterprise . Chambliss contemplated "the scariest thing in space" and looked to a kitchen knife, imagining "500 gigantic knife-edge points". "That's how the Romulan ship developed, with a kitchen knife and the twisted imagination of James Clyne," he said. During development, the ship was referred to as "Hanson's Ranch" to keep its name secret. ( Star Trek - The Art of the Film )

J.J. Abrams wanted the ship's interiors to feel mysterious by having them be "amorphous, to have a sense of no corners, ceilings or floors". To minimize the size of the set, Chambliss called on his experience in theater to build a set where parts could be moved around to create another section of the ship each day. Cinematographer Dan Mindel used "abrasive" yellow-green lighting to suggest the angry and fragmented mindset of the Romulan crew. Visual effects supervisor Roger Guyett complemented the feel by underlighting the digital shots "in classic horror movie style", based on a lighting test "that went wrong, but I actually liked the look" of.

ILM model supervisor Bruce Holcomb stated the Narada was six miles (ten kilometers) long, [5] while Post magazine mentions it is five miles (eight kilometers) long. [6] The film's Blu-ray gives a final estimate of the ship's length at 30,737.3 feet (9,368.7 meters). Regardless, the ship was one of the largest digital models ever built by the company: according to Roger Guyett, the detail required near 1:1 scale.

Apocrypha [ ]

The Narada , before being retrofitted in 2387

In the Star Trek prequel comic book miniseries Star Trek: Countdown , the Narada 's advanced weaponry and appearance are explained as being the result of the ship being retrofitted with salvaged and reverse-engineered Borg technology. The Tal Shiar in the 24th century had been experimenting with Borg technology, and Nero's ship was the experimental vessel used. The Narada was retrofitted at The Vault ( β ), a cloaked military installation in deep space, subsequent to the destruction of Romulus. The Borg nanoprobes allowed the ship to grow and repair itself, and also take on a much larger and more menacing appearance. The ship's speed was increased from Warp 9.8 to "…immeasurable transwarp speeds." This information also appeared on the Blu-ray release of the film in the supplement section "Starships." While the Narada itself was not referenced in Star Trek: Picard , that series confirmed that the Romulans had access to Borg technology in the form of the Artifact , a disabled Borg Cube .

The Borg connection paid off in the sequel to Countdown , Star Trek: Nero . After Nero escapes from Rura Penthe – the " Klingon prison planet " – the Narada takes him to V'Ger , which Nero uses to calculate where Spock will arrive. By then, the Narada had seemingly developed a telepathic link with Nero that allowed him to command the Narada remotely.

In Star Trek: Ongoing 's " Mirrored, Part 1 ", set in the alternate reality's mirror universe , Kirk – Spock's first officer – commandeers the Narada from Nero following the Terran Empire's conquest of the Klingon Empire. He attacks and destroys the Enterprise , and sets course for Vulcan. However, after recovering Spock Prime, he is outmaneuvered by Spock Prime, Uhura, and Spock – Uhura having saved Spock's life before the destruction of the Enterprise – and is killed before he can destroy Vulcan, with the two Spocks remaining on Vulcan to rebuild while Uhura takes command of the Narada .

The Narada 's connection to the Borg is confirmed in the Star Trek: Boldly Go series – set before the completion of the USS Enterprise -A – when the Federation is attacked by a Borg sphere seeking answers about the temporary presence of a fragment of the Collective in this galaxy, but their primitive technology at this time allows the Federation and the Romulans to destroy the sphere and save those who have been assimilated.

In Star Trek Online , while the Narada itself doesn't appear, it's revealed that after her disappearance, the Tal Shiar continued their experiments with Borg technology. This results in Mogai - and D'deridex -class ships being retrofitted in similar ways and looking almost identical to the Narada .

The 2013 virtual collectible card battle game Star Trek: Rivals has the Narada as card #107.

External link [ ]

• Narada at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works

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.

"Star Trek" and its spin-offs are streaming on Paramount+.

Chris Pine’s Best Moment As Star Trek’s Captain Kirk Isn’t the One You Think

Hint: It doesn't involve the Kobayashi Maru test.

The Big Picture

• Chris Pine's portrayal of James T. Kirk in Star Trek showcases a journey from selfishness to selflessness, reflecting growth and heroism.
• The film reboots the iconic sci-fi franchise with action-packed sequences and a new timeline that sets up the origins of Kirk and Spock's friendship. Pine's best moment as Captain Kirk is in the final sequence of the film where he and Spock work together to infiltrate the Narada .
• Pine brings sensitivity to Kirk's character, fulfilling his father's legacy and showcasing a vulnerability that highlights his heroic transition.

There really should not be a debate over who is Hollywood’s “Best Chris,” as Chris Pine has easily proven himself as an actor of real depth . Between his steely role in the neo-Western Hell or High Water and his charismatic romanticism as Steve Trevor in the Wonder Woman films, Pine has shown that he’s capable of standing out within talented ensembles. However, the challenges he faced when stepping into the role of James T. Kirk in the reboot of the Star Trek franchise were immeasurable. While William Shatner’s performance has been cited as the gold standard of overacting, Pine brought a surprising sensitivity and nuance to his role as the younger Captain Kirk.

The mythology of Star Trek is quite dense, but director J.J. Abrams' 2009 reboot serves as a great entry point for newcomers to the franchise. By taking place within an alternate universe known as the “Kelvin Timeline,” the new trilogy was able to forge a new direction and show the events leading up to the iconic episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series . Longtime fans may have struggled accepting a new actor in Shatner’s iconic role, but Pine gave Kirk a complete character arc during the action-packed conclusion of 2009’s Star Trek when he and Spock worked together to infiltrate the Narada.

Star Trek (2009)

J.J. Abrams' 2009 movie Star Trek rebooted the iconic sci-fi franchise in a totally new timeline. When a Romulan ship travels back in time and alters the past, the lives of James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), and the future crew of the USS Enterprise are drastically changed. In this new timeline, the Romulan Nero (Eric Bana) sets out for revenge on Spock, setting off a chain of events that reshape the entire universe.

Chris Pine's Best Moment as Kirk Comes in 'Star Trek's Final Act

While the original Star Trek series took place in an established universe, the reboot film examines how Kirk rose from a humble background to become one of the bravest and most accomplished captains in the history of Starfleet . Bravery is always in his wheelhouse, but Kirk starts off the film as a selfish jerk who only uses Starfleet to advance his own ego. Kirk essentially decides to enlist in Starfleet Academy in order to win a bet with Captain Christopher Pike ( Bruce Greenwood ). Following this, he seems more interested in starting feuds with Spock ( Zachary Quinto ) and flirting with Lieutenant Uhura ( Zoe Saldaña ) than he is fulfilling the Prime Directive. However, a pivotal conversation with Spock Prime ( Leonard Nimoy ) indicates to Kirk that he has a greater legacy to fulfill.

Pine shows in Star Trek's conclusion that Kirk has grown more responsible. His mission is a critical one; the ruthless Romulan, Captain Nero ( Eric Bana ), has already destroyed the planet Vulcan, and is intent on leading an attack on Earth. While Pine has always done a great job at showing that Kirk has a keen sense of humor, his complexion grows far more grave when he informs his crew about the impending mission. Kirk realizes that everything he came from, including his family and friends on Earth, is at stake. It’s the first instance in the film where he develops a knack for heroism that is entirely selfless, and not out of a desperate attempt to prove himself worthy to the other characters.

What Happened to the 'Madame Web' Director's Star Trek Movie?

While the final sequence includes the type of kinetic action that is common in Abrams’ films , Star Trek shows how Pine’s Kirk has learned from his eclectic experiences . Kirk has spent a majority of the film sneaking around Starfleet facilities in order to solidify his place within the crew of the Enterprise ; it's fitting that his finest hour involves infiltrating an advanced spacecraft in a daring and heroic mission that doesn’t follow official protocols. Kirk’s final brawl with the ruthless Romulan villain Ayel ( Clifton Collins Jr. ) shows how his checkered past ends up benefiting him. Although he started the film getting into a bar brawl with haughty Starfleet officers, Kirk finally puts his nasty hand-to-hand combat skills to good use.

'Star Trek' Shows the Origin of Kirk’s Friendship With Spock

One of the most interesting revisions that 2009’s Star Trek makes to the core mythology of the franchise is positioning Kirk and Spock as rivals. Although the two eventually grow into close friends throughout the original series , Spock’s insistence on sticking to procedures initially rubs Kirk the wrong way. The ending of Star Trek teases the eventual bond that will develop between Kirk and Spock, as they are forced to work together in order to sneak aboard the Narada . Pine is more cheerful in his interactions, indicating that Kirk has taken Spock Prime’s words about their respective destinies to heart. As unlikely as it seems to him initially, he’s grown to accept the idea that he and Spock could be friends.

Although he makes a few jokes at his new ally’s expense, Pine shows that Kirk has come to acknowledge Spock’s feelings . Kirk has been so infuriated with Spock’s attitude that he has overlooked the fact that Vulcan has been destroyed; Spock lost much of his family and cultural heritage. Kirk is well-aware that Spock is half-human , and that Earth is the only planet he has left to call home. There’s a sensitivity to how Pine characterizes Kirk’s attitude; he recognizes the pain that Spock feels upon losing a parent, as it’s one that he knows all-too well.

Kirk Fulfills His Father’s Legacy at the End of 'Star Trek'

Star Trek begins with a harrowing opening sequence featuring Chris Hemsworth as Kirk’s father, George , who sacrifices himself in order to save the crew of the Kelvin from a Romulan attack. Pine gives Kirk the chance to mirror his father’s heroic action , as he goes into the mission with an acknowledgment that he could easily perish. Although the Romulans were responsible for his father’s death, Pine doesn’t turn Kirk into a vengeful character; rather, his heroic endeavors indicate that Kirk has learned to take pride in his family name.

2009’s Star Trek was a surprise hit at the box office , and spawned two direct sequels that faced Kirk off against even more ruthless villains . Pine turned Kirk into an empathetic hero whose vulnerability was an attribute; it was in Star Trek ’s finest hours that he made the steady transition into the hero fans knew he would become.

Star Trek is available to stream on Paramount+ in the U.S.

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Published Oct 17, 2014

Official Starships Reveals Delta Flyer And Romulan Drone Ship

Star Trek The Official Starships Collection has released the first official images of Part 38 and 39’s additions to the fleet, available for pre-order now.

Part 38 introduces the Delta Flyer. This unique Starfleet craft, first seen in the Star Trek: Voyager episode " Extreme Risk ," was constructed in the Delta Quadrant by the crew of the U.S.S. Voyager NCC-74656 using both Starfleet and Borg technology.

Part 39 features a 22nd-century Romulan drone-ship, designed to be a remotely controlled attack vessel taking orders directly from Romulus. Its multispectral emitter allowed it to mimic other ships – including the Enterprise NX-01 - and disrupt a major political alliance in the Enterprise episode " Babel One ."

The Official Starships Collection is available in selected retailers and by subscription. For more information visit www.startrek-starships.com . And keep an eye on StarTrek.com for additional information about upcoming releases and for detailed looks at each ship as it is released.

PLUS: SEND YOUR QUESTIONS TO BEN ROBINSON

Got any questions about the collection and forthcoming models? Editorial Manager Ben Robinson will be providing answers to a short Q&A next week. Send in your questions here.

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Romulan Episodes of Star Trek

1. Star Trek: Enterprise

2. Star Trek: Enterprise

3. Star Trek: Enterprise

4. Star Trek: Enterprise

5. Star Trek

Balance of terror.

6. Star Trek

The enterprise incident.

7. Star Trek: The Next Generation

The neutral zone.

8. Star Trek: The Next Generation

9. Star Trek: The Next Generation

10. Star Trek: The Next Generation

The defector.

11. Star Trek: The Next Generation

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The Star Trek Villains Who Were Supposed To Be In A Lot More Movies

Posted: May 17, 2024 | Last updated: May 19, 2024

Have you ever wondered why — in spite of Star Trek: The Original Series and Star Trek: The Next Generation featuring the Romulans prominently as recurring antagonists, it wasn’t until 2009’s Star Trek (the 11th film in the franchise) that they appeared as chief villains? Well, the truth is that they were originally planned as the Big Bads for not one, but two Trek movies. The first time it was the late Leonard Nimoy who changed the story, and the second time it was Patrick Stewart who vetoed the pointy-eared bad guys.

They Were Villains In The Original Crew Films, But Never The Main Villain

The original crew’s Star Trek films did feature Romulans as villains, but only as relatively minor ones.

Caithlin Dar, the Romulan ambassador to Nimbus III, is one of the many to fall under Sybok’s influence in 1989’s Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, though she isn’t a major player.

In the 1991 follow up, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Romulan ambassador Nanclus is part of the conspiracy to spark a new Federation-Klingon war, but he’s barely in the flick.

In The TNG Films, They’re Practically Heroes

Once Picard and co. took over the Star Trek films, the Romulans graduated from minor villains to minor heroes.

For example, when the away team first encounters the villain Soran in 1994’s Star Trek: Generations, it’s after he’s barely survived a Romulan attack (which, if successful, would have helped avoid a lot of trouble).

Later in 2002’s Star Trek: Nemesis, the Romulan Commander Donatra helps the Enterprise in her battle with Shinzon’s Scimitar.

Romulans Almost Killed Kirk’s Son

In 1984’s Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, it’s Christopher Lloyd’s Commander Kruge, a Klingon, who gives the order leading to the death of James Kirk’s son, but originally it was going to be Romulans doing the deed.

It was Romulans who intercept the Enterprise on their way to Genesis in the original version of the script, but in 2002, writer Harve Bennett told Star Trek: The Magazine that Leonard Nimoy — who directed Star Trek III — convinced him to make it the Klingons instead because they were more theatrical.

This also helps to explain why Kruge’s ship is referred to as a “Bird of Prey” — a name which stuck — even though in Star Trek this is the name originally given to a type of Romulan vessel.

Romulans Were Almost The Villains Of Insurrection

Instead of the stretchy-faced Son’a, Star Trek: Insurrection originally had Romulans forming a dark alliance with the Federation. The late Michael Piller got a lot of pushback from Paramount on the script, most notably from Picard himself, Patrick Stewart.

There were a number of problems Stewart had with Piller’s earliest ideas, but in a letter he wrote from the set of the Moby D*** TV movie, the actor said that his biggest issue was the “dredging up of the Romulans — a race already unexciting in TNG.”

So instead the Son’a were born with their quite literal stretch marks and all.

Ironically, considering Stewart’s apparent distaste for the villains, Romulans would prove to be major antagonists in the first season of his revival series–Star Trek: Picard.

Finally, Nero

It’s perhaps fitting that it took until 2009’s Star Trek for the Romulans to take center stage in the movies, considering that of all of Trek’s recurring antagonists, they are arguably the most patient. Sadly, in exchange for their heightened status on the big screen, the more passionate counterparts to the Vulcans had to lose their home–rendering Eric Bana even angrier than he was in 2003’s Hulk.

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Screen Rant

Star trek: discovery proves ds9's dominion war still matters 800 years later.

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Star Trek: The Dominion War Timeline, Explained

Star trek: discovery's rhys is starfleet's next great captain, star trek: discovery just made burnham into homer simpson.

WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 7, "Erigah".

• The Breen Imperium's visit to Federation Headquarters in "Erigah" echoes their devastating attack on Earth 800 years ago.
• The Breen still hold weight in Discovery's 32nd century, as they race to secure powerful technology.
• Lt. Tilly and Admiral Vance prepare to defend against the Breen, as history could repeat itself in the ongoing Discovery season.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 7, "Erigah" reveals that, 800 years after it ended, the events of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's Dominion War still matter. In "Erigah", written by M. Raven Metzner and directed by Jon Dudkowski, the Breen Imperium pays a visit to Federation Headquarters to negotiate for the release of Moll (Eve Harlow) and L'ak (Elias Toufexis). First introduced in DS9 , Discovery has updated the Breen considerably, by revealing more about their political structure, and has even shown what a Breen looks like without their helmet .

Star Trek: Discovery has also revealed that the Breen are just as dangerous to the Federation 800 years after they fought against them in the Dominion War . The Breen joined forces with the Dominion in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 7, bolstering the war effort against the combined forces of the Federation, the Klingon Empire, and the Romulan Star Empire. Allied with the Dominion, the Breen struck several devastating blows against the Federation, and Discovery season 5, episode 7 , "Erigah", reveals that the damage can still be felt 800 years in the future.

The Dominion War was the bloodiest conflict in Star Trek history, and its complicated timeline was filled with shocking twists and turns.

Star Trek: Discovery Shows DS9's Dominion War Still Matters 800 Years Later

"let’s not forget what happened the last time breen entered federation space.".

As Federation Headquarters prepared to welcome the Breen delegation, there were repeated references to the " last time " that the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine villains paid a visit. This refers to the devastating attack launched against the site of Federation Headquarters and Starfleet Academy in 2375 . The Breen attack on Earth in DS9 resulted in heavy civilian casualties, and major structural damage to the Golden Gate Bridge. Despite it being 800 years ago, this attack is at the front of everyone's minds during Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 7.

The Breen's strike against Earth prompted grudging admiration from Klingon General Martok (J.G. Hertzler), who observed that " even my people never attempted that. "

With the attack on the 24th century's Starfleet Academy on her mind, Lt. Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman) takes arms and prepares to leave the USS Discovery to protect her students. Meanwhile, Admiral Charles Vance (Oded Fehr) was prepared to make a last stand against the Breen to protect the USS Discovery's mission. By the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 7, an agreement has been reached between the Breen Imperium and the Federation , just as a fleet of Starfleet ships arrived to defend Federation HQ. Satisfied that they'd averted history from repeating itself, the Discovery crew returned to their hunt for the Progenitors' treasure.

Could The Breen Still Attack The Federation In Star Trek: Discovery Season 5?

Burnham and rayner's vision of the future has merely been delayed..

By the end of Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 7, "Erigah", the Federation is in a race with the Breen Imperium to secure the Progenitors' powerful technology . This means that an attack on Federation Headquarters has only been delayed by handing over Moll to the Imperium. In Discovery season 5, episode 4, "Face the Strange", Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and Commander Rayner (Callum Keith Rennie) witnessed an alternative future where the Breen Imperium used the Progenitors' technology to obliterate the Federation.

The destruction of the Federation by the Breen is the inciting incident that created the alternate timeline first seen in Star Trek: Short Treks ' "Calypso".

This dark future is still a very real possibility as long as Moll is working alongside the Breen Imperium to secure the Progenitors' technology. Moll believes that it can resurrect L'ak, which means that she's willing to ignore the galactic implications of the Breen getting their hands on the Progenitors' technology. Engaged in a race against time to secure both the secrets of life itself and the safety of the Federation, the USS Discovery could soon find themselves defending Fed HQ from the Breen for a second time in Star Trek: Discovery season 5.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5 streams weekly on Paramount+.

Star Trek: Discovery

*Availability in US

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Star Trek: Discovery is an entry in the legendary Sci-Fi franchise, set ten years before the original Star Trek series events. The show centers around Commander Michael Burnham, assigned to the USS Discovery, where the crew attempts to prevent a Klingon war while traveling through the vast reaches of space.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

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

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Interview: Elias Toufexis On Making Star Trek History Playing L’ak And Nerding Out In ‘Discovery’

| May 11, 2024 | By: Anthony Pascale 8 comments so far

The seventh episode (“ Erigah “) of season 5 of Star Trek: Discovery  was a big episode for guest star Elias Toufexis who plays L’ak. Season 5 is actually his second time on Discovery after playing a Federation prisoner in season 1. Toufexis is also a huge fan of Star Trek and TrekMovie had a spoilery (and nerdy) chat with the actor about the latest episode and how excited he was to make Trek history with the return of the Breen.

I know you are a genuine fan so was it difficult to focus on the work and not like just geek out over everything all the time?

They happen simultaneously. I focus on the work the second the camera rolls. No matter what the character is, I’m doing my job. But as soon as they say “cut” to relight or whatever, I’m walking around the set, I’m picking up props, I’m looking at stuff, I’m literally climbing in the Jefferies Tube on the Enterprise. When I really stepped back just as a fan, I was freaking out, every day. I would look around and go, “I have my own phaser, I have my own ship, this is crazy!” And then I would get back to work. Once the camera is rolling it’s what does my character want to do, am I doing all my lines… all that actor cliché crap.

You did have a unique phaser, what is it? Is it Breen?

No, the Breen guns were different. When I shoot it in the first episode, it just traps them in bubbles… there’s no particular backstory other than what I ascribe to it. I’m just like, “I have the most badass gun,” because it looks really cool.

Sonequa Martin-Green as Burnham Elias Toufexis as L’ak in “Mirrors” (John Medland/Paramount+)

I know this was your second time on Discovery . When the casting director brought you back, did you know right away you were playing a Breen?

So they offered me the role and the next day they had me go down and get the plaster mold of my head [for the prosthetics]. And I said I still don’t know what I’m playing, and they said, “Oh, we have some concept art.” And the concept art turned out to be a little different than what it ended up being, but I asked, “What is he?” and they said, “He’s a Breen.” And honest to god, my first reaction was “Breen! Wait, they never take their helmets off.” And then I worked it out in my head, I’m going to be the first Breen that takes his helmet off. I’m going to make Star Trek history! And that really got me excited. Now not only am I a character on the show and not only a big bad antagonist, but now I’m making history.

The episode “Mirrors” explored the whole two Breens thing. How did that factor into your performance in the season?

It’s a good question. For me, there were three actually three Breens. There is the unformed. I always think under their helmets, they’re just jelly, completely malleable. So with the helmets on is one form. And if they release their helmets they suck it up a little bit to make this kind of humanoid thing to present themselves, but still gelatinous. And then there is the third form, the forbidden form, which takes focus. It’s an abomination form. I always played it like L’ak is doing it because he doesn’t want to be Breen. He especially doesn’t want to be a prince. He doesn’t want to be forced into this life. He sees it as a life of servitude. Even if he’s a prince and rich, or whatever the Breen do with that, to him it’s just a prison. The helmet is a prison. The gelatinous form is not really him. He even says that. He says, “It’s not me.” I see myself as separate from them. So I take this form even though they look at it as an abomination. He’s also doing it as a kind of “screw you.”

So in “Erigah” you spent the whole episode in a bed. Death scenes are hard enough but you are doing action and emotion and you never get out of bed. Can you talk about how you dealt with that challenge?

[Laughs] That week was rough. It was rough for two reasons. One, even if I wasn’t being shot and they’re shooting stuff around that bed, I still had to do the six hours of makeup. So I’m still doing six hours before I start my twelve hours of lying there. It was uncomfortable. But doing the stuff in the bed, it was okay for the most part. I found it difficult because the prosthetic would bend in these weird ways sometimes. So technically I was trying to find how can I get my head right so it doesn’t have this big extra chin. Then when we did the actual death scene, it was a bit of an emotional challenge because you have to get through that makeup and you have to get through the contact lenses as an actor. You want the audience to empathize with you and it’s tricky. It was hard in episode five with the love stuff to make sure that got through and it did, thankfully. And it was the same when I was dying, but I can’t say enough about Eve [Harlow] and the way she would play the scenes would help me tremendously. When you watch that scene, it’s her that’s bringing all the emotion to it, I just look sleepy. She’s what makes it work.

Sonequa Martin-Green as Burnham, Wilson Cruz as Culber, Elias Toufexis as L’ak and Eve Harlow as Moll “Erigah” (Marni Grossman /Paramount+)

So much of this episode only works due to the chemistry established with Moll and L’ak. How did you and Eve develop that chemistry?

The chemistry was natural. Eve and I became good, good friends. We became friends pretty quickly. I’m about 10 years older than her so off-camera, I kind of felt like a big brother. And on camera, it was very easy to fall in love with her because she plays it so great, and she’s so pretty. It was very easy for me because she’s such a good actor. So the connection, it had a lot to do with Eve. I would always kind of defer to her performance first. And then her performance reflects onto me trying to get through the makeup. So yeah, I definitely feel that we had that chemistry. And we talked about it a lot. And we ran scenes together a lot. Yeah, we tried to make sure that that love came through. That was our big thing. Make the love come through and make people empathize. And if we did that, then we did our job.

This is a nerdy question, but when L’ak dies, why didn’t he revert back to that gelatinous state?

Yeah, I asked that question. I was like, “When he dies wouldn’t he just fall into it, because the other form takes focus?”  I think it’s just one of those Star Trek things, like “Why didn’t?…” and you just kind of let it go. You explain it away in fan fiction, or whatever. Like, once he took that form, when he died that form stuck… It solidified.

Eve Harlow as Moll and Elias Toufexis as L’ak in “Face The Strange” (Paramount+)

Moll’s last line is “This isn’t how our story ends.” So, is this how your story ends?

You think I’m going to answer that question? [laughs]

This was your second time on Trek, is your agent pitching you for a third? You can do makeup, no makeup…

[Laughs] There’s so many possibilities. I’m never going to say no to Star Trek if something comes around, but I’m pretty much on the bottom of the list now. There’s a lot of other actors they are going to want to use before they come back to me.

Well, there is also the tradition of when they just get to like working with and actor, like Jeffrey Combs, Vaughn Armstrong…

That’s true… Like the actor who played Sarek [Mark Lenard], he was a Romulan, a Klingon, and a Vulcan. So yeah, it’s possible. But the way the business works now is a lot different.

Elias Toufexis

Elias nerding out on Twitter

If you haven’t already, Elias has been sharing what a great time he had as a fan shooting the fifth season of  Discovery on his Twitter/X account @EliasToufexis . For example, he recently showed off an early makeup test…

L'ak from #StarTrekDiscovery make-up test. We originally had those extra ridges on my cheekbones, but we toned that down. Everything else more or less, stayed the same. Long process. pic.twitter.com/3SrmrfypQ5 — ᴇʟɪᴀꜱ ᴛᴏᴜꜰᴇxɪꜱ (@EliasToufexis) May 5, 2024

He also shares behind-the-scenes shot, including this one with a bonus image of him playing Star Trek as a teen…

The picture on the left is me at about 15 years old, on a pretend Enterprise, filming a pretend Star Trek show in my friend's basement. The picture on the right is me years later, on the actual Enterprise, playing a main character on an actual Star Trek show. Life's a trip. pic.twitter.com/PVBwnEAEyy — ᴇʟɪᴀꜱ ᴛᴏᴜꜰᴇxɪꜱ (@EliasToufexis) April 25, 2024

The fifth and final season of Discovery debuted with two episodes on Thursday, April 4 exclusively on Paramount+  in the U.S., the UK, Switzerland, South Korea, Latin America, Germany, France, Italy, Australia, and Austria.  Discovery also premiered on April 4 on Paramount+ in Canada and will be broadcast on Bell Media’s CTV Sci-Fi Channel in Canada. The rest of the 10-episode final season is available to stream weekly on Thursdays. Season 5 debuted on SkyShowtime in select European countries on April 5.

Note: The interview has  been edited for brevity and clarity.  

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I would have been happy if there had actually BEEN chemistry between L’ak and Moll. Sadly, there was very little. These were not well-written characters, and the actors didn’t gel onscreen.

I disagree just about as strongly as is possible. I felt like their on-screen connection was visible. The way these characters are written almost make me want them to win. To each their own, I suppose.

I disagree. I definitely saw their chemistry and connection. And, as Scott mentions, the way they were written, I cared about their plight.

I’m glad he had fun. His character wasn’t horrible.

It never gets old seeing huge Star Trek fans getting to live their childhood dreams. Whoopi Goldberg, Mae Jamison, Jason Alexander, Kelsey Grammer et al and now Stacey Abrams, Robert Kazinsky, Tawny Newsome, and Elias Toufexis. Makes me smile.

Moll, L’ak and the Breen are saving this season of DSC. we have something new to focus on beside Michael and Book staring at each other crying but trying not to cry….so many emotions! lol

I asked for this.