star trek cochrane phoenix

Why James Cromwell's Zefram Cochrane Is One of the Best 'Star Trek' Performances

Cue "Magic Carpet Ride" in 3, 2, 1...

The Star Trek feature films have never struggled in nailing their main casts, shepherding the core ensembles of two of the greatest science fiction television shows of all time to the big screen. While fans are more divided on the quality of the most recent “Kelvin Timeline” series, the young ensemble delivered earnest performances that honored the legacy of their original series counterparts while offering their own interpretations. The stronger installments were able to flesh out the ensemble with interesting new crew members, pairing the heroes against such memorable threats as Khan ( Ricardo Montalbán ) or Chang ( Christopher Plummer ).

Between reintroducing the crew and establishing a conflict, there was often little time to create characters that didn’t fit into either category. The shows had the luxury of telling episodic stories that made room for featured guest stars, but there’s often little time to fully develop an additional character within a tight two-hour narrative that justifies expanding to a larger budget. Among the exceptions is James Cromwell ’s sensitive, hilarious work in Star Trek: First Contact . By flipping the mythology on an established Trek figure and instilling his own unique personality, Cromwell gives one of the best performances in the entire film saga.

RELATED: Every ‘Star Trek’ Movie Ranked from Worst to Best

Cromwell’s Zefram Cochrane is the godfather of the titular “first contact.” He’s the genius inventor of the Phoenix, the first warp-capable space vessel that inspires a Vulcan ship to visit Earth for the first time. Cochrane had appeared in The Original Series as a dying older man restored to his youthful body ( Glenn Corbett ) by the Companion. Cromwell’s Cochrane is in a far different situation. He’s a wacky, hard-drinking hooligan with no ambition to travel too far outside of his local drinking hole, and certainly not into space. He’s yet to make his critical flight that would be studied within Trek ’s history textbooks.

Cochrane has to reckon with the expectations that his own legacy will leave behind when the core Next Generation crew (minus Picard and Data) travels back in time to ensure his voyage is successful, as the Borgs threaten to disrupt it and change the course of the timeline. It's an intense prospect in one of the most suspenseful, action-packed Trek films, and Cromwell’s befuddled disbelief makes for a necessary (and humorous) tonal shift. He’s already wasted beyond coherence by the time Troi ( Marina Sirtis ) and Riker ( Jonathan Frakes ) find him, and Cromwell hilariously captures the essence of a gentle, yet cynical town drunk.

Cromwell finds the right balance of earnestness and amusement as Cochrane learns of his own importance. Within a few short moments, he’s forced to accept the reality that not only are time travel, intergalactic spacecrafts, and alien predators real, but he’s destined to be of critical importance to all of them. While his laughing dismissal of Riker’s explanations as an elaborate prank feels like an authentic first reaction, Cromwell is heartfelt in his consideration of what he’s destined to do. Cromwell identifies a more relatable plight than how to engineer groundbreaking technology: he’s simply never had any expectations of himself.

Cromwell’s weariness as he’s approached by starstruck crewmembers makes his overwhelmed state more engaging. He’s not flattered when the bumbling Lieutenant Barclay ( Dwight Schultz ) nervously asks to shake his hand , but exasperated. It’s one thing to know he’s someone of consequence, but being asked to act like one, too, identifies a fascinating philosophical question that harkens to the best of The Next Generation ’s insights. People that change history don’t always know that at the time, and only through Trek ’s time travel do they learn they’re not just expected, but required to succeed. Cromwell elevates Cochrane’s grumpy cynicism by showing that it's his coping device.

It helped that Cromwell was already a Trek veteran, having guest-starred in three episodes of The Next Generation and one episode of Deep Space Nine . He came with knowledge of the universe, but with First Contact, he was allowed “ to have as much fun as I possibly could .” By letting loose with his eccentricities, Cromwell grounded this era of Earth in the context of its more primitive development. 2063 is far from the unified perfect society, and in a secluded town in Montana, the fallout of a space battle is devastating. It makes sense that in this desperate future, someone as idiosyncratic as Cromwell is the unlikely savior.

Despite the laughs he adds, Cromwell doesn’t break from the consistency of the role. He’s appropriately wondrous when gazing into space, but doesn’t immediately transform into a pensive scientist, and he doesn’t have to. Cochrane at first seems like nothing but a buffoon, but Cromwell shows casual displays of intelligence as he adapts to the advanced technology. It was important for him to hastily, yet steadily accept his destiny.

Riker may offer Cochrane insights on his later accomplishments, but he doesn’t negate them; the knowledge was in Cochrane all along, and all he needs to prepare his daring mission is a little Steppenwolf . He’s worthy of his leadership within the community, and though they share only a few moments together, Cromwell proves that he’s a worthy ally of the badass Lily Sloane ( Alfre Woodard ).

Cromwell’s fleshed-out depiction creates a touching conclusion where he sees his efforts come to life. Greeted with the first Vulcan ambassadors , he welcomes the alien visitors with the warmest greeting he knows: a warm handshake and spontaneous dancing to “Ooby Dooby.” It’s humanity at its best — friendly and receptive, even when it doesn’t know its place. First Contact often feels like “ Die Hard on the Enterprise,” but this moment encapsulates the hope that is omnipresent in Trek . Cromwell gives it a rowdy, wholesome distinction.

Zefram Cochrane is the epitome of a great Star Trek supporting character. His arc is completed in the story told, and he leaves on a positive note as the crew takes off on another adventure. Cromwell had the task of being both the comic relief and center point of Trek mythology, and he beautifully fulfills the two responsibilities as one of the film franchise’s most memorable characters.

KEEP READING: Alfre Woodard on ‘See’ Season 2 and Why She Still Has Scars From Making ‘Star Trek: First Contact’

The Phoenix herself was, ironically, launched on the nose of a nuclear missile. The crew for her first flight consisted of Doctor Cochrane, Commander William Riker and Lieutenant Geordi LaForge - although only now can the true identity of the two Starfleet crew members be revealed! The ship used a fusion power plant to power a pair of single coil warp nacelles which could push it to slightly above the speed of light. Her historic mission comprised two warp flights, each of some thirty seconds duration, taking the ship out into (relatively) deep space and back. She returned to a landing near the original launch site later in the day; the Phoenix never flew again, and is now one of the most popular exhibits in the Smithsonian Institute. Several of Doctor Cochranes subsequent test ships had a very high component commonality with the Phoenix, but the rapid development of warp technology rendered her obsolete within weeks of the flight. Nevertheless, her place in history is secure alongside the likes of the Wright Flyer and the Saturn V.

Star Trek: First Contact (1996)

James cromwell: zefram cochrane.

• Photos (17)
• Quotes (26)

Photos 

Quotes 

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : I gotta take a leak.

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge : Leak? I'm not detecting any leak.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Don't you people from the 24th century ever pee?

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge : Leak! I get it. That's pretty funny.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Excuse me.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Please! Don't tell me it's all thanks to me! I've heard enough about the great Zefram Cochrane! I don't know who writes your history books or where you get your information from, but you people got some pretty funny ideas about me!

[smirks] 

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : You all look at me as if I'm some kind of... saint, or visionary or something!

Cmdr. William Riker : I don't think you're a saint, Doc. But you did have a vision. And now we're sitting in it.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : You wanna know what my vision is? Dollar signs, money! I didn't build this ship to usher in a new era for humanity. You think I wanna go to the stars? I don't even like to fly! I take trains! I built this ship so that I could retire to some tropical island... filled with

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : naked women. THAT'S Zefram Cochrane. THAT'S his vision. This other guy you keep talking about, this historical figure? I never met him. I can't imagine I ever will.

Cmdr. William Riker : Someone once said "Don't try to be a great man. Just be a man, and let history make its own judgements."

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : That's rhetorical nonsense. Who said that?

Cmdr. William Riker : [smiles]  You did, ten years from now.

[the Vulcans have landed to meet Cochrane] 

Vulcan : Live long and prosper.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Thanks.

Cmdr. William Riker : Doctor, tomorrow morning when they detect the warp signature from your ship and realize that humans have discovered how to travel faster than light, they decide to alter their course and make first contact with Earth, right here.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Here?

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge : Well, actually, over there.

Cmdr. William Riker : It is one of the pivotal moments in human history, Doctor. You get to make first contact with an alien race! And after you do... everything begins to change.

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge : Your theories on warp drive allow fleets of starships to be built and mankind to start exploring the Galaxy.

Cmdr. Deanna Troi : It unites humanity in a way no one ever thought possible. When they realize they're not alone in the universe, poverty, disease, war - they'll all be gone within the next fifty years.

Cmdr. William Riker : But unless you make that warp flight tomorrow morning before eleven fifteen, none of it will happen.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : And you people, you're all astronauts on... some kind of star trek.

[Riker, LaForge and Cochrane have made humanity's first warp speed test flight] 

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Is that Earth?

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge : That's it!

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : It's so small...

Cmdr. William Riker : It's about to get a whole lot bigger.

[Lily and Zefram had a few too much to drink at a bar] 

Lily Sloane : You're going to regret this tomorrow.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : One of the things you should have learned about me by now is that I don't have regrets.

[leaving the bar, Cochrane pulls Lily back] 

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Come on, Lily. One more round.

Lily Sloane : [pulling Cochrane off her]  Z, you've had enough. I'm not going up in that thing with a drunken pilot.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Well I sure as hell am not going up in there sober.

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge : Look, Doc, we can't do this without you!

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : I don't care. I don't want to be a statue.

Cmdr. William Riker : Doctor...

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : You stay away from me!

[runs off] 

Cmdr. William Riker : We don't have time for this.

[pulls out a phaser and stuns Cochrane who falls in a creekbed] 

Cmdr. William Riker : [to Geordi]  You told him about the statue?

[Cochrane, Riker and LaForge are on board the Phoenix, preparing to go into warp] 

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Engage!

[Riker and LaForge grin at each other knowingly] 

Cmdr. William Riker : Deanna! Deanna!

Cmdr. Deanna Troi : Will, don't turn off the that...!

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Who is this jerk? And who told him he could turn off my music?

Cmdr. Deanna Troi : Will Riker, Zefram Cochrane.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Is he a friend of yours?

Cmdr. Deanna Troi : Yes.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Husband?

Cmdr. Deanna Troi : No.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Goood.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : A group of cybernetic creatures from the future have traveled back through time to enslave the human race... and you're here to stop them?

Cmdr. William Riker : That's right.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Hot damn! You're heroic.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : [to Riker]  I've got a 4-alarm hangover. It's either from all that whiskey, or your laser beam. Or both. But I'm ready to make history.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Now this, Dena...

Deanna Troi : Deanna.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : [as he pours Deanna a drink]  ... is the good stuff.

Cmdr. William Riker : Dr. Cochrane...

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : To the Phoenix... may she rest in peace.

[both drink, then choke] 

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Oohh... Okay, that wasn't so good.

[tosses bottle away] 

[as Deanna counts down the Phoenix's ignition, Cochrane -- believing earlier that he'd forgotten something -- snaps his fingers] 

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Oh, God! Now I remember!

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge : What?

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : [checking his pockets]  Where is it? We can't lift off without!

Cmdr. William Riker : Geordi, we've gotta abort!

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : [suddenly finds a green disk]  No, no! Wait! I found it!

[slams disk into player] 

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Let's rock and roll!

Cmdr. Deanna Troi : Seven... Six...

[she rips off her headphones as Steppenwolf's "Magic Carpet Ride" blares over the stereo and the Phoenix takes off] 

Cmdr. William Riker : [looking up at the moon]  Look at that.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : What, you don't have a moon in the 24th century?

Cmdr. William Riker : Sure we do. It just looks a lot different. There are 50 million people living on the moon in my time. You can see Tycho City, New Berlin, even Lake Armstrong on a day like this.

Lt. Barclay : Commander, this is what we're thinking of using to replace the damaged warp plasma conduit.

[smiles at Cochrane] 

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge : [examines the unit]  Yeah, Reg... yeah, that's good. But you're going to need to reinforce this copper tubing with a nanopolymer.

Lt. Barclay : [nods quickly and turns to Cochrane]  Dr. Cochrane, I know this sounds silly, but could I shake your hand?

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : [sighs heavily, clearly not wanting to egg on Barclay's enthusiasm, but reluctantly extends his hand] 

Lt. Barclay : Oh! Thank you, Doctor! You have no idea what an honor it is to work with you on this project!

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge : Reg...

Lt. Barclay : I never thought I would ever meet the man who invented warp drive! I...

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge : *Reg!*

Lt. Barclay : Hmm?

[realizes he's fawning] 

Lt. Barclay : Oh! Yes, of course, I'm sorry...

[nervously shuffles off] 

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Well, well, well. What do we got here? I love a good peep show.

Lily Sloane : [spotting the Borg sphere in the sky]  What is that?

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : [not seeing anything]  That is the constellation Leo.

Lily Sloane : [pointing]  No. That.

[taking cover as the sphere begins firing on the settlement] 

Lily Sloane : It's an ECON!

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : After all these years?

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : [seeing the Enterprise in the sky]  That's a trick.

[looking for a model or miniature he thinks is there] 

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : How'd you do that?

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge : It's your telescope.

Deanna Troi : That's our ship, the Enterprise.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : [looking again]  And, uh, Lily's up there right now?

Deanna Troi : That's right.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Can I talk to her?

Cmdr. William Riker : We've lost contact with the Enterprise. We don't know why yet.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : So, what is it you want me to do?

Cmdr. William Riker : Simple. Conduct your warp flight tomorrow morning just as you planned.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Why tomorrow morning?

Cmdr. William Riker : Because at 11:00, an alien ship will begin passing through this solar system.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Alien. You mean extraterrestrials? More bad guys?

Deanna Troi : Good guys. They're on a survey mission. They have no interest in Earth. Too primitive.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : [seeing a Vulcan disembark from its ship]  My god. They're really from another world.

Cmdr. William Riker : And they're going to want to meet the man who flew that warp ship.

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge : Would you mind taking a look at this?

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Yeah.

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge : I tried to reconstruct the intermix chamber from what I remember in school. Tell me if I got it right.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : School? You learned about this in school?

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge : Oh, yeah. Basic Warp Design is a required course at the Academy. The first chapter is called... "Zefram Cochrane".

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : [seeing Earth as they launch into space]  Oh, wow!

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge : You ain't seen nothing yet.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : [seeing the Enterprise up close from the Phoenix]  Sweet Jesus!

Cmdr. William Riker : Relax, Doctor. I'm sure they're just here to give us a send-off.

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge : You know, I wish I had a picture of this.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : What?

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge : Well, you see, in the future, this whole area becomes an historical monument. You're standing almost on the exact spot where your statue's gonna be.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Statue?

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge : [pantoming as he talks]  Oh, yeah! It's marble, a-about 20 meters tall, and you're looking up at the sky, and your hand's sort of reaching toward the future.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Do they have to keep doing that?

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge : It's just a little hero worship, Doc. To tell you the truth, I can't say I blame them. We all grew up hearing about what you did here. Or what you're about to do.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Now, this, Deena...

Deanna Troi : Deanna!

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : This - is the good stuff.

[pouring shots of Tequila] 

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge : I probably shouldn't even tell you this, but I went to Zefram Cochrane High School.

Dr. Zefram Cochrane : Really?

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The Phoenix

Magic Carpet Ride

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Cochrane holding a recording of "Magic Carpet Ride"

" Magic Carpet Ride " was a song performed by the Human rock and roll group Steppenwolf .

Zefram Cochrane , a fan of rock and roll music, played "Magic Carpet Ride" during the launch of Earth 's first warp ship , the Phoenix , in 2063 . Copilots William T. Riker and Geordi La Forge , and Deanna Troi in mission control, were rather bemused by Cochrane's taste in music, of which Troi received an unexpectedly loud introduction, as she was wearing a headset. ( Star Trek: First Contact )

In 2381 , a hologram of Zefram Cochrane played the song, while Mariner , Boimler , Tendi , Rutherford , and Gavin were aboard the Phoenix replica . ( LD : " Grounded ")

• 2.1 Background information
• 2.2 External links

I like to dream yes, yes, right between my sound machine On a cloud of sound I drift in the night Any place it goes is right Goes far, flies near, to the stars away from here Well, you don't know what we can find Why don't you come with me little girl On a magic carpet ride You don't know what we can see Why don't you tell your dreams to me Fantasy will set you free Close your eyes girl Look inside girl Let the sound take you away Last night I held Aladdin's lamp …

Appendices [ ]

Background information [ ].

"Magic Carpet Ride" was written by Steppenwolf members Rushton Moreve and John Kay , and was released in 1968 as a single and on the album The Second .

"Magic Carpet Ride" is copyright MCA Music (BMI). Excerpts from the song are published under "fair use" rules.

The song can be found on the soundtrack for First Contact .

External links [ ]

• " Magic Carpet Ride " at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• " Magic Carpet Ride " at Wikipedia
• 2 ISS Enterprise (NCC-1701)

Elinor Donahue Played An Unseen Second Role In Star Trek's Metamorphosis Episode

In the "Star Trek" episode "Metamorphosis" (November 10, 1967), an important dignitary named Commissioner Nancy Hedford (Elinor Donohue) is being transported to the U.S.S. Enterprise to undergo a complex medical procedure that can only be performed on the ship. She is afflicted with a fast-moving condition called Sukaro's Disease which, if not treated, could prove fatal within a few days, even though Commissioner Hedford has no discernible symptoms. Unfortunately for her, Hedford's shuttle is randomly attacked by a shape-shifting blob of energy and pulled down to the surface of a nearby planet. Captain Kirk (William Shatner), Spock (Leonard Nimoy), and Dr. McCoy (DeForest Kelley) have to find a way to repair the shuttle and get the Commissioner back to the Enterprise before her condition worsens.

They are not alone on the planet. Zefram Cochrane (Glenn Corbett) is living there. This is unusual, as Zefram Cochrane -- the inventor of faster-than-light travel ( who was played by James Cromwell in "Star Trek: First Contact" ) -- presumably died a century earlier. How is he alive? It seems the same blob that pulled the shuttlecraft out of the heavens is a living entity that Cochrane calls the Companion. The Companion has been able to read his thoughts and provide him with a long life and sustenance. It now seeks to provide him with company, hence its kidnapping of several passersby.

The Companion, we later learn, is also in love with Cochrane. The Enterprise crewmates manage to tinker with their universal translators to communicate with the Companion, and it admits that it wants to stay with Cochrane forever.

An uncredited Lisabeth Hush provided the voice of the Companion in the episode's final cut, but on set, Shatner and Corbett needed someone to interact with. Luckily, Donohue was more than willing to step in. She recalled her experience working on "Metamorphosis" in a 2016 interview with StarTrek.com .

Read more: The Main Star Trek Captains Ranked Worst To Best

Elinor Donohue Read The Companion's Lines On Set

Donohue knew that the voice of the Companion would be dubbed over later, so her on-set participation was only to provide William Shatner with a frame of reference. She was asked by the episode's director, Ralph Senensky, to read the Companion's lines right when she was about to go home. As she recalled it:

"I was there and I don't quite know why I was there. Maybe I'd shot something in the morning and was released for the rest of the day. It was near lunch time and I'd decided to go have lunch. They started to set up for that scene and I believe it was the director, who said, 'Would you mind, if you're going to be here, but you don't have to be, climbing up on the ladder and reading the lines?' I said, 'Oh, I'd love to.'"

Donohue had to climb a ladder to read the lines because Shatner addressed the Companion by craning his neck up to look at the Companion. On a ladder, the two could have a proper conversation. Donahue continued:

"I thought it was wonderful fun, because there was no pressure on me to perform anything, so to speak. It was just an opportunity to be helpful to a fellow actor, and, yes, [Shatner] was very appreciative. He seemed to smile and be very happy about my being up there."

Technically, Donohue was one of three actors to play the Companion. Initially, the dubbed voice of the Companion was provided by Elizabeth Rogers, who played Lieutenant Palmer in "The Doomsday Machine" ( an episode that seemingly helped inspire "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" ) and "The Way to Eden." Senensky reportedly didn't like Rogers' line readings, so she was replaced by Lisabeth Hush, an actor best known for her appearance in "Thoroughly Modern Millie."

After "Star Trek," Donohue merely continued her prolific TV career.

Read the original article on SlashFilm

Screen Rant

Star trek’s 10 most evil mirror universe characters.

Star Trek's Mirror Universe is home to the most evil versions of our favorite Starfleet heroes, but which ones are the best of the worst?

• The Mirror Universe boasts evil versions of beloved Star Trek characters — Mirror Spock, Mirror Sulu, Regent Worf, & more stand out.
• Evil Mirror Universe variants like Mirror Kirk and Intendant Kira showcase the dark side of well-loved Star Trek characters in a compelling way.
• Mirror Universe characters like Emperor Georgiou, Captain Killy, and Dr. Phlox display extreme evil actions, making them the "worst of the worst."

Star Trek 's Mirror Universe is home to the most evil versions of some of the franchise's most beloved heroes, but which ones are the best of the worst? First introduced in Star Trek: The Original Series season 2, episode 10, "Mirror, Mirror", the Mirror Universe is the Federation's darkest timeline, where humanity embraced brutal fascism over peace, love and understanding. Although the Mirror Universe only appeared in one episode of TOS , bearded Mirror Spock (Leonard Nimoy) left a huge impression on popular culture, leading to multiple returns to the dark timeline and its evil alternates in later Star Trek TV shows .

Arguably, the most evil Mirror Universe character was Mirror Zefram Cochrane (James Cromwell), who met the visiting Vulcan delegation with a shotgun blast . Cochrane's murderous first contact established how the Terran Empire would go on to subjugate countless species in Star Trek 's Mirror Universe. However, it was just the human Star Trek heroes that had evil Mirror Universe variants , the franchise's best-loved Bajoran, Klingon, and Cardassian characters also had their dark opposites. In a whole universe of evil Star Trek characters, it can be hard to narrow down exactly which ones are the best at being the worst.

Star Trek: Voyager & DS9 Crossed Over In The Mirror Universe

10 mirror hikaru sulu (george takei), "you will also appear to have killed him after a fierce battle. regrettable, but it will leave me in command.".

Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) was thrown into the complicated power dynamics of the Mirror Universe when he and his away team were stranded there in "Mirror, Mirror". After preventing Mirror Chekov (Walter Koenig) from assassinating him, Prime Kirk then had to contend with an attempt on his life from Mirror Hikaru Sulu (George Takei). Sulu versus Kirk was the climax of "Mirror, Mirror", as the ISS Enterprise's lieutenant tried to murder his way to the center seat.

Star Trek: The Original Series

*Availability in US

Not available

Star Trek: The Original Series follows the exploits of the crew of the USS Enterprise. On a five-year mission to explore uncharted space, Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) must trust his crew - Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (Forest DeKelley), Montgomery "Scotty" Scott (James Doohan), Uhura (Nichelle Nichols), Chekov (Walter Koenig) and Sulu (George Takei) - with his life. Facing previously undiscovered life forms and civilizations and representing humanity among the stars on behalf of Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets, the Enterprise regularly comes up against impossible odds and diplomatic dilemmas.

Mirror Sulu was, predictably, a more cruel and bitter version of his Prime Universe counterpart. Lt. Nyota Uhura (Nichele Nichols) got a sense of Mirror Sulu's harsher side when she had to play on his infatuation with her Terran counterpart. Although he wasn't the worst of the worst of Star Trek 's Mirror Universe characters, Mirror Sulu is a great example of the dark side of some of the franchise's best loved characters . However, despite being cruel, conniving, and a stone-cold killer, Sulu was bested by Prime Kirk in a final showdown.

9 Regent Worf (Michael Dorn)

"this time, i will deal with the rebels myself.".

Regent Worf (Michael Dorn) was the ruler of Star Trek 's Mirror Universe during the 24th century, so he was obviously an evil guy. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine revealed that the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance enslaved all Terrans and Vulcans in various regions of their territory. As the Regent, Worf oversaw the violent oppression of these slaves throughout his reign . The Regent relied on his Intendants to keep the Terrans under his heel, and was enraged by the loss of the Terok Nor space station .

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.

Worf doled out cruel and degrading punishments to those that failed him, including Mirror Elim Garak (Andrew Robinson) who was forced to wear a dog collar for losing Terok Nor to the rebels. However, as evil as Regent Worf may have been, he was presented as a fairly ineffective leader whose empire was crumbling around him . He suffered two embarassing losses in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine , at the hands of Prime Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) and the ISS Defiant, and then even got duped by Prime Quark (Armin Shimerman) and Rom (Max Grodenchik) who installed a faulty cloaking device aboard his flagship.

Michael Dorn Wanted Armin Shimerman To Play The Ferengi Worf Kills In Star Trek: Picard [UPDATED]

8 mirror dr. phlox (john billingsley), "will you kindly die".

The Mirror Universe version of the avuncular Dr. Phlox (John Billingsley) was a sadist who specialized in torture . Phlox conducted horrific experiments on living beings in pursuit of medical advancement, and served as the chief medical officer aboard the ISS Enterprise NX-01. Phlox specialized in concocting new means of torture to punish the enemies of the Terran Empire, leading to the creation of the Agony booth. This technology conducted a synaptic scan of any humanoid, so that it could stimulate every available pain center, keeping its victims in a state of constant agony.

The Agony booth or "Agonizer" was used across the Terran Empire, having been seen in Star Trek: The Original Series ' "Mirror, Mirror", and the Mirror Universe episodes of Star Trek: Discovery .

Despite being an evil sadist, Dr. Phlox was eventually convinced to join the attempt to stop Mirror Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) from using the USS Defiant to become Terran Emperor. However, as ever in Star Trek 's Mirror Universe, Phlox's actions were driven by self-interest more than moral duty. Phlox only agreed to stop Archer because he believed that, by saving the life of the incumbent Terran Emperor, he would be rewarded with multiple concubines and an impressive new medical facility .

7 Mirror Commander Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula)

"more like a federation of fools".

In Star Trek: Enterprise 's Mirror Universe, Jonathan Archer was still a Commander, serving alongside Captain Maximillian Forrest (one of Vaughn Armstrong's multiple Star Trek roles ). Archer's feelings of inadequacy compared to Forrester led him to commit some reckless and evil acts. After stealing the USS Defiant, Archer wanted to gain the respect of his crew, and so launched an assault on a Gorn foreman that had remained aboard the ship. Archer's attack on the Gorn resulted in many of his MACO troopers being killed, and also left Major Malcolm Reed (Dominic Keating) seriously injured.

Mirror Archer is the earliest Star Trek captain to face a Gorn in any timeline.

Mirror Archer was insane, taunted by an illusion of his superior Prime Counterpart, who drove him to more and more reckless actions. Archer murdered Admiral Black (Gregory Itzin) and assumed command of the USS Defiant, with which he intended to stage a military coup. Archer became increasingly unhinged, and ordered the deaths of the Defiant's alien crew members, except for Dr. Phlox. Archer was eventually stopped from assuming control of the Terran Emperor, putting an end to further evil acts from the Enterprise captain.

Enterprise’s Mirror Universe Episodes Marked The Sad End Of The Star Trek Prequel

6 emperor philippa georgiou (michelle yeoh), "i'm extremely wicked, even for a terran.".

Star Trek: Discovery 's Emperor Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) has certainly gone some way to redeeming her actions in the Mirror Universe. However, it might take a lot more than ending the Federation-Klingon War to wash away the sins of Georgiou from her reign as Terran Emperor. Georgiou rendered the Klingon home world Qo'noS uninhabitable, subjugated the Betazoids and destroyed Mintaka III. Emperor Georgiou also launched a bombardment against the Talosians for trying to trick her with their mental projections .

Star Trek: Discovery

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.

Georgiou was less xenophobic than her predecessors, happily accepting the native titles of the Vulcans, Andorians and Klingons that she ruled over. It was perhaps this openness with "lesser" species that made her opponents see Emperor Georgiou as a weak leader. The failed coup against Emperor Georgiou led to her traveling to the Prime Universe, where she now lives as a Section 31 operative. It's said that the upcoming Star Trek: Section 31 movie will see Georgiou confront the sins of her past, continuing the redemptive journey she began in Star Trek: Discovery season 2 .

5 Captain Sylvia "Killy" (Mary Wiseman)

"i'm gonna have nightmares about myself now.".

Captain Sylvia "Killy" (Mary Wiseman) was the captain of the ISS Discovery, and a close colleague of Emperor Philippa Georgiou . Tilly rose to her position by murdering the previous captain while they were recovering from an illness, which is one of the most ruthless in a long list of Mirror Universe murders. As captain of the ISS Discovery, the Mirror Universe version of Tilly was just as responsible for the subjugation of the Betazoids and devastation of Mintaka III. However, unlike Georgiou, Mirror Tilly, who had earned the nickname "Killy" never got a chance to redeem herself later in Star Trek: Discovery , nor would she likely want one .

Mary Wiseman's character, Lt. Sylvia Tilly was named after the niece of Star Trek: Discovery producer Gretchen J. Berg.

The Mirror Universe Tilly was terrifying to her Prime Universe counterpart, who worried that she'd have nightmares about herself. With such nicknames as "The Slayer of Sorna Prime" and "The Witch of Wurna Prime", it's no wonder that Tilly was so unnerved by her Mirror Universe counterpart. "Killy" was the darker, more ambitious version of Star Trek: Discovery 's Tilly, and she had an impressive, if terrifying list of accolades;

• Medal of Valor
• Master of Poisons Medal
• 50 Kills Medal

Star Trek: Discovery Proves Starfleet Academy Show Doesn’t Make Sense Without Tilly

4 empress hoshi sato (linda park), "you're speaking with empress sato. prepare to receive instructions.".

The Mirror Universe version of Hoshi Sato (Linda Park) from Star Trek: Enterprise was an incredibly smart woman who knew which powerful man to throw in her lot with. Effectively playing off Mirror Archer and Mirror Forrest against each other, Hoshi placed herself in a position where she could use the USS Defiant to hold Earth to ransom. Staying close to Archer as his lover during his plot to steal the technologically superior USS Defiant from the Tholians, she waited until the time was right to depose the ambitious leader.

Mirror Archer ordered that any information about the Federation held on the USS Defiant's systems be erased so as not to inspire a rebellion against the Terran Empire, a reference to Mirror Spock being inspired by Prime Kirk's tales of the Federation.

Hoshi seduced Mirror Archer's personal security officer, Travis Mayweather (Anthony Montgomery) to help her with a poisoning plot. Killing Archer with poisoned champagne, Hoshi became commanding officer of the USS Defiant. She then holds the entire planet Earth to ransom with the USS Defiant in a hostile takeover of the entire Terran Empire. Hoshi's military coup was one of the boldest moves achieved by any of Star Trek 's Mirror Universe variants .

3 Intendant Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor)

"i have no taste for violence. i regret using it even when it seems necessary.".

Intendant Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) is the only character to feature in all five of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's Mirror Universe episodes . Mirror Kira was a fascinating character who ruled Terok Nor at the behest of the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance. Although she was very clearly evil, Intendant Kira Nerys was less brutal than some of her Mirror Universe contemporaries, preferring instead to use manipulation and her sexuality to get what she wanted. That being said, the Intendant regularly veered from ordering the execution of Terran Rebels to subjugating others as her personal slaves to her every whim.

Nana Visitor once described Intendant Kira as such: " I t's very much me. I mean, I hope I don't send people to their deaths or anything like that, but yeah, that is more of who I am ."

The Intendant was so vain that she was even attracted to Major Kira from the prime Star Trek timeline . As with many Mirror Universe variants, Intendant Kira Nerys was adept at self-preservation, and she would easily stab her allies in the back if it saved her life. For example, Intendant Kira murders the Mirror Universe's Nog (Aron Eisenberg) even though the young Ferengi had freed her from prison. In her final Star Trek: Deep Space Nine appearance, the Intendant orchestrates the sabotage of Regent Worf's flagship, leaving behind the ruler of the Mirror Universe to face the punishment of the Terran Rebellion .

Major Kira's Best Star Trek DS9 Episodes

2 mirror captain james t. kirk (william shatner), "has the whole galaxy gone crazy".

The majority of Star Trek: The Original Series season 2, episode 20, "Mirror, Mirror" has Prime Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) fill in for his Terran counterpart. This means that it's hard to get a handle on how truly evil Mirror Universe Kirk actually was. However, there is a staggering list of crimes attributed to the Terran Empire's Captain James T. Kirk in "Mirror, Mirror". As well as murdering Captain Christopher Pike to assume command of the ISS Enterprise, he used stolen alien technology, the Tantalus field, to vaporize his enemies.

William Shatner had pitched the return of Mirror Kirk to Rick Berman as a potential episode of Star Trek: Enterprise season 4.

Mirror Kirk is also said to have executed 5000 colonists on Vega IX, and also destroyed the home planet of the Gorlans' . None of these genocidal actions are depicted on-screen in Star Trek: The Original Series , as the real Mirror Kirk is largely confined to a cell aboard the Prime Universe's USS Enterprise. However, there's no question that the Mirror Universe's Captain Kirk was one of the very worst of the worst of Star Trek 's Mirror Universe characters.

1 Mirror Gabriel Lorca (Jason Isaacs)

"i have been to another universe and back. you think i'd come all this way without a plan".

Budding Terran Emperor, Captain Gabriel Lorca (Jason Isaacs) is the greatest Star Trek: Discovery villain and the most evil of Mirror Universe characters. Following his unsuccessful coup against Emperor Philippa Georgiou, Lorca fled to the Prime Universe, where he assumed the identity of his counterpart. This was one of Lorca's most evil moves, as he infiltrated his Prime Counterpart's life and career, including his romantic relationship with Admiral Katrina Cornwall (Jayne Brook). Not only did Mirror Lorca embark on a sexual relationship on false pretenses, he " groomed " Mirror Michael Burnham, proving that he was a sexual deviant as well as a brutal oppressor .

Jason Isaacs originally wanted to turn down the role of Captain Gabriel Lorca in Star Trek: Discovery out of respect for Star Trek: The Original Series .

As well as his sexual crimes, Lorca was responsible for killing his entire crew by destroying the USS Buran on arrival in the Prime Universe. While Lorca claimed he was saving them from the brutal treatment they'd receive as prisoners of the Klingon Empire, his actions elsewhere suggest he was simply removing an obstacle to his goals . By inveigling his way into Starfleet and the USS Discovery, Lorca then goes back to the Mirror Universe to launch another attempt to seize the throne of the Terran Empire. Lorca's wholesale murder of his Mirror Universe crew, his manipulation of the women in his life, and the betrayal of the USS Discovery crew make him the Star Trek character with the blackest of black hearts.

All episodes of Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Enterprise, and Star Trek: Discovery are available to stream on Paramount+.

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Published Apr 5, 2011

Happy First Contact Day!

From all of us here at StarTrek.com to all of you out there, we wish you a great First Contact Day.

“Say again?” you might be asking. “First Contact Day?”

It’s the holiday celebrated by good people of the galaxy in tribute to the flight of the Phoenix and the pivotal first interaction between humans and Vulcans . The event took place – or will take place, depending on how you look at it -- on April 5, 2063. That evening, a Vulcan survey ship, the T’Plana-Hath, landed in Bozeman, Montana, after tracking the warp signature of the Phoenix, a spacecraft that represented mankind’s first successful attempt at achieving warp drive. And, of course, moments later on that same day, a robed Vulcan, flashing the split-fingered Vulcan salute, greeted Dr. Zefram Cochrane , creator of warp drive and pilot of the Phoenix. Thus, First Contact was made, setting in motion a chain of events that led to the formation of the United Federation of Planets .

Fans interested in learning more about First Contact and First Contact Day should be sure to check out the TOS episode “ Metamorphosis ,” with Glenn Corbett portraying Cochrane; the TNG film First Contact , with James Cromwell in the role (which he reprised briefly on Enterprise ); the books First Contact (the novelization of the feature) and First Frontier; and the Voyager episode “ Homestead ,” in which Neelix and Naomi Wildman oversee a party celebrating the 315th anniversary of First Contact Day, complete with an old-school jukebox, helpings of Cochrane’s favorite food (cheese pierogies), and the sight and sounds of a stoic, reluctant Tuvok giving the Vulcan salute and uttering those immortal words, “Live long and prosper.”

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