shelby in star trek

Who Is Picard's Top Starfleet Admiral Elizabeth Shelby?

Star Trek: Picard introduced Starfleet's top admiral, Elizabeth Shelby, a character The Next Generation fans recognize from "The Best of Both Worlds."

The following contains spoilers for Star Trek: Picard Season 3, Episode 9, "Vox," now streaming on Paramount+.

The penultimate episode of Star Trek: Picard introduced Starfleet's top Admiral, Elizabeth Shelby, as she led the fleet exercises on Frontier Day. Shelby is a fantastic Easter egg and payoff to a character who was front-and-center the first time Starfleet faced the Borg.

After Picard introduced Tuvok from Voyager , fans likely hoped the Frontier Day celebrations would be led by Kate Mulgrew's Admiral Janeway. However, given the way those events ended, fans are likely hoping Janeway overslept and is safe on Earth somewhere. In her place is Admiral Elizabeth Shelby who The Next Generation fans will recognize from "The Best of Both Worlds," the two-part episode in which Picard is assimilated by the Borg. Played by Elizabeth Denehy, Shelby was a character who fans thought might be the "new" First Officer of the Enterprise-D. Riker is given the offer of his own command and there were rumors at the time Patrick Stewart was leaving the show. In 2015, writer Ronald D. Moore said they wrote the finale not knowing if Picard would stay Borg. Shelby was likely a candidate for a regular role if that happened. Instead, Picard was saved and Shelby left the show and did not return to the franchise until recently. And she's the perfect character to have in charge at the start of a Borg invasion.

RELATED: Star Trek: Picard Reveals Why Riker Left Deanna Troi

Elizabeth Shelby Is an Ambitious Borg Expert Introduced on The Next Generation

Since the future of Star Trek doesn't involve money, reputation is the currency most favored by Starfleet officers. Sometimes it doesn't spend. Shaw doesn't think Riker and Picard are heroes , after all. If reputation is currency, then Elizabeth Shelby is one of the most money-hungry people in Starfleet. She accidentally offends Riker, telling him she hopes to replace him on the Enterprise. She assumed he was going to leave the ship and captain his own vessel. Nonetheless, she is an ambitious officer who wanted to succeed. However, she is not a villain or antagonist. She is Riker's best ally when it comes to rescuing Picard and defending the Enterprise against the Borg's attacks.

Shelby arrived onboard the Enterprise at the behest of Starfleet, taking on the job of creating a defensive strategy against the Borg. Her methods were effective, to a point. She circumvented Riker to give battle plans directly to Picard. Later, she leads an unauthorized away team mission to try to get data about their enemy. While Picard was "incapacitated," as Riker called it in the Picard Season 3 premiere , he promoted her to Commander and made her acting First Officer once he took command.

After Picard was restored, Shelby moved on, her sights set on rebuilding the fleet after Wolf 359. Later in an episode, a reference is made to "Captain Shelby," which fans can guess is her finally earning her captaincy. Putting her in the Admiral's chair for Frontier Day is a smart move, and not just because it pays off on the character's ambition. She is uniquely equipped to handle a surprise Borg incursion, though she may not have the chance after taking a phaser blast from an assimilated crew member before her video feed cut out. The Borg have a unique interest in Picard, but they also had a score to settle with Admiral Shelby.

RELATED: Picard's Villain Origin Continues New Star Trek's Reckoning With the Past

Elizabeth Shelby Is the Perfect Star Trek Character To Put in Charge of Starfleet

The character of Lieutenant Commander Shelby was created during the early years of Star Trek: The Next Generation when creator Gene Roddenberry still held sway. Without him, Shelby might have been a much different character. He believed that high-ranking members of Starfleet would be beyond petty conflicts over rank and position. So, while Shelby was ambitious and reckless, she was still a "good" person. She risked her life trying to save Picard. Yet, throughout this terrible circumstance, she remained cognizant of how it affected her career.

When Riker, having just lost his friend and captain, says he is considering her for First Officer, she starts campaigning for the job. Still, Riker saw enough of himself in her that he gave her the chance. The freewheeling Riker style only developed after Shelby's introduction. This is perhaps why the writers had Riker take after Jonathan Frakes , but it could be seen as her influence on him. On the loosely canon Star Trek: Lower Decks , then-Captain Shelby appeared at an event for all the ambitious Starfleet officers willing to play politics to gain rank and prestige. In that story, Shelby was in her element.

Still, while Shelby was ultimately a good officer, she made some very bad decisions. She might have been responsible for Starfleet's overly harsh stance against synthetic life in Season 1. She's responsible for the interconnectivity of the fleet that allowed the Borg to so easily take over the ships. If she did meet her end, it's ironic because she spent so much of her life trying to prepare Starfleet to defend itself against the Borg .

Star Trek: Picard debuts its series finale Thursday, April 20 on Paramount+ .

The Latest Star Trek Picard Season 3 Cameo Is A Perfect Deep Cut

Warning: This article contains spoilers for the latest episode of "Star Trek: Picard."

Unless you've been living in a derelict Borg cube hopelessly severed from the Collective, you've probably noticed that this season of "Star Trek: Picard" has doubled down on "The Next Generation" to whole new levels of nostalgia . For some, that's exactly what they've been waiting for from this series ever since it was first announced. For others, well, just check out /Film's recap by Witney Seibold  of the very last episode, titled "Vox," for the other end of the spectrum of reactions.

But for showrunner Terry Matalas, this third and final season has provided the best excuse to go out on a high note, smashing together various eras of "Trek" history to give Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes), Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), and the rest of our original heroes one last grand adventure. While that has obviously meant reuniting our title character with old friends like Brent Spiner's Data and LeVar Burton's Geordi LaForge, it's also made room for several deep cuts and unexpected references of lore from years past. This time, one sneakily clever reappearance by a previously established "The Next Generation" character gave one dramatic death at the hands of the Borg a little extra irony.

As the plot line surrounding the Changeling conspiracy to take down Starfleet once and for all barrels towards its explosive conclusion on Frontier Day, the festivities allowed for one familiar face to briefly take centerstage: a certain Admiral Elizabeth Shelby on the bridge of the Enterprise-F, portrayed by actor Elizabeth Dennehy. Of course, Trekkies have seen this particular character before in the classic "The Next Generation" two-parter, "The Best of Both Worlds" — which shocked the fanbase by having Picard assimilated by the Borg.

A blast from the past

The Borg. Why does it always have to be the Borg? Picard's lasting trauma from his previous assimilation by the biggest bad in all of "Trek" has lingered throughout the decades, having been explored throughout "The Next Generation," the subsequent movies, and even earlier this season in "Picard." But as much as Picard is a central figure in the Federation, he didn't face off against this threat alone. Back in the season 3 finale of "The Next Generation," Starfleet dispatched Captain Elizabeth Shelby to the Enterprise-D, a bona fide Borg expert tasked with helping to repel the imminent Borg invasion. Fans will remember that she and Riker almost immediately rubbed one another the wrong way, thanks to a combo of clashing styles, a little bit of political overambition, and, most unforgivably of all, beating Riker at a hand of poker.

Still, the young officer proved her worth when Picard was captured by the enemy as she led the away mission to retrieve the captain. Though she couldn't quite prevent his assimilation and subsequent rampage during the Battle of Wolf 359, her efforts helped cripple the Borg cube and set up their eventual rescue of Picard from Borg clutches. Riker smoothed over any differences between the unlikely pair by promoting her to first officer in Picard's absence and eventually commander, Starfleet tasked her with rebuilding their fleet to prepare for future attacks, and she even reappeared once more down the line in an incredibly silly episode of "Star Trek: Lower Decks."

All's well that ends well ... right? Well, maybe not. Just ask  the dearly departed Ro Laren .

One for the road

Having so much Borg experience under her belt, it was perhaps only a matter of time before "Star Trek: Picard" recruited the services of Elizabeth Shelby upon the shocking revelation that the Changelings had been collaborating with the sinister Borg. Of course, none of us could've predicted exactly how she'd be used in the latest episode. Or how bleakly ironic her final appearance would be.

With all of Starfleet blissfully unaware of the danger at their doorstep, the fleet celebrates the storied Frontier Day by gathering en masse to test out their fancy, system-wide new gadgetry. Synchronously linking each and every ship to the other for a much more efficient level of defense — hint: if your newfangled tech looks like the Borg and sounds like the Borg, it's probably the Borg — the system makes the fleet disastrously vulnerable to sabotage. That's exactly what happens when Picard & Co. show up, interrupt Admiral Shelby's grandiose speech, and trigger the defense mechanisms of the starships in orbit around Earth. Even Picard notes the irony of Shelby endorsing a plan of action that's "so Borg-like," showing how even the most decorated figures in Starfleet could lower their guard in such a time of (perceived) peace.

When the Borg inevitably begins their assimilation of the fleet and turn their drones against the ships, a completely bewildered and overwhelmed Shelby becomes one of the first and most tragic victims of the attack. It's an unceremonious and deeply upsetting end for a character who's lived through some of the darkest moments in all of "Trek" canon, but the instinct to bring her back for such a small but crucial role in "Picard" pays off effectively.

The "Star Trek: Picard" series finale airs on Paramount+ April 20, 2023.

Star Trek: Picard (2020–2023)

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Elizabeth Shelby

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Fleet Admiral Elizabeth Shelby was the commanding officer of the Federation starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-F) until her death at the hands of two of her officers who had been assimilated by the Borg in 2401 . ( PIC : " Võx ")

Shelby previously served as an adviser and first officer aboard the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) during the crisis immediately before and after the Battle of Wolf 359 in 2367 . ( TNG : " The Best of Both Worlds ", " The Best of Both Worlds, Part II ")

External links [ ]

• Elizabeth Shelby article at Memory Alpha , the canon Star Trek wiki.
• Elizabeth Shelby article at Memory Beta , the non-canon Star Trek wiki.

Screen Rant

Star trek: picard vs. tng filming was "night and day," says admiral shelby actress.

Admiral Shelby's Elizabeth Dennehy reflects on the very different experiences she had filming Star Trek: The Next Generation vs. Star Trek: Picard.

• Elizabeth Dennehy reflects on the stark differences between filming Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Picard season 3.
• Dennehy discusses the overwhelming technology and stunning set of Picard compared to her time on TNG.
• Despite her character's apparent death, Dennehy would love to return as Admiral Shelby, as Star Trek characters have come back from the dead before.

Elizabeth Dennehy reflects on the stark differences between filming Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Picard season 3. Dennehy appeared as Lt. Commander Elizabeth Shelby in TNG's "Best of Both Worlds" two-parter, which is often regarded as one of the show's best stories. As a determined up-and-coming expert on the Borg, Shelby arrived on the USS Enterprise-D to help investigate a potential Borg attack . Shelby was present for the assimilation of Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and there was speculation that she could become the new First Officer of the Enterprise if Picard didn't return.

Although Commander Shelby did not stay aboard the Enterprise-D, she did eventually make it to the bridge of the USS Enterprise-F. In Star Trek: Picard season 3 , Fleet Admiral Shelby led the opening ceremony of the Frontier Day celebrations from the bridge of the Enterprise-F . Admiral Picard tried to warn Shelby about the impending Borg/Changeling attack, but his warning came too late, and Shelby was killed by assimilated members of her crew. In an interview with Warp Factor Trek , Elizabeth Dennehy spoke about filming Picard and how it differed from her time on TNG . Read her quote below:

Could not have been more different! Totally different world! Oh my God, the money that has gone into Picard! But the thing that was the most overwhelming was the unbelievable technology. In thirty years, it was completely different. The set was dazzling! My costume was unbelievable! I had all these fittings, tailor-made suit. Gorgeous, beautiful. So flattering, so comfortable. No more the spandex jumpsuit that felt like you were wearing a giant wedgie. Those days are over. So, could not have been more different — night and day.

Despite her character's apparent death in Star Trek: Picard season 3, Elizabeth Dennehy would love to return as Admiral Shelby. After all, Star Trek characters have come back from the dead before.

How To Watch All Star Trek TV Shows In Timeline Order

Star trek: tng often had to do more with less, the filming process of tng was very different from star trek: picard ..

Star Trek: The Next Generation got off to a rocky start with an inconsistent first season plagued by chaos behind the scenes. Writers came and went regularly throughout the early days of TNG , and the show took a couple of seasons before it truly found its footing. The television landscape was very different in the 1980s and 1990s, and the way shows were filmed differed, too. For one thing, TNG typically had 26 episodes per season, far more than most modern Trek shows. The TNG cast members dealt with long shooting days and uncomfortable costumes , but they still managed to have fun, garnering a reputation for joking around on set.

10 Good Things TNG’s Bad Season 1 Gave Star Trek

On average, the budget for each episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation was around $1.3 million. This was considered a high budget at the time and many episodes of TNG required extensive effects and intricate sets. TNG season 2 was impacted by the Writers Strike of 1988, but they also faced budget problems . By the end of TNG season 2, the production team had blown their budget on episodes like "Elementary, Dear Data" and "Q Who," which led to the infamous, but budget-friendly, clip show, "Shades of Gray." Plus, as with Star Trek: The Original Series , they were limited by the technology of the time, which sometimes made it difficult to depict the technology of the far future. With its modern effects and higher budget, Star Trek: Picard beautifully brought the crew of the USS Enterprise-D into the modern day.

Star Trek: The Next Generation & Star Trek: Picard are available to stream on Paramount+.

Source: Warp Factor Trek

‘Star Trek’ Picard: Let’s Talk About That ‘Next Generation’ Cameo and Chilling Voiceover

Two more memorable characters reappear in the ninth episode titled “Vox”

“Star Trek: Picard” has had no shortage of guest appearances, from Ro Laren (Michelle Forbes) in Episode 5 to Tuvok (Tim Russ) in Episode 7.

Episode 9, titled “Vox,” featured another blast from the past and a voiceover that will send chills down any Trek fan’s spine.

But be warned. Major, major spoilers lie ahead. Do NOT proceed unless you want to be spoiled.

Episode 8 left off with Troi (Marina Sirtis) and Jack Crusher at the precipice of the red door he’s been seeing in visions. Along with the visions, a female voice beckoned him to “find me.”

Troi assures Jack he is not alone as she approaches the door. She opens it, discovers who is calling out to Jack, and runs to immediately see Beverly and Picard, Jack’s parents.

Final spoiler alert!

It turns out the cybernetic race known as The Borg have been calling out to Jack. They are the masterminds behind the infiltration of Starfleet, not the Changelings. Jack commandeers a shuttle and pilots it toward the Borg.

The reason The Borg wanted Picard’s body was to extract the genetic code they implanted when they assimilated him 35 years ago during the events of the “Next Generation” episodes “The Best of Both Worlds Part 1” and “Part II.”

The “dormant generic Borg adaptations,” as Data described them, were passed onto Jack. Whereas assimilated Borg become “receivers” of instructions from the collective, Jack is a “transmitter.”

During their hunt for Jack, the Borg used Changelings to infiltrate the fleet, secretly adding Picard’s Borg DNA code to the transporter system. Anytime anyone uses the transporters, their DNA is rewritten with Picard’s. In essence, they get assimilated when they use the transporter. It only works up until a certain age — about 25 years in human years.

This all ties back to the two guest appearances in this episode.

Frontier Day kicks off above Earth, and it’s revealed the new Enterprise — the U.S.S. Enterprise F — is leading the celebration.

Leading the Enterprise is former commander, now admiral, Elizabeth Shelby (Elizabeth Dennehy). Shelby came aboard the Enterprise in “The Best of Both Worlds” as a Borg specialist. When Picard was kidnapped and turned into the Borg called Locutus, Riker (Jonathan Frakes) took command and Shelby became the first officer.

Although her confidence and ambition rubbed many of the crew the wrong way, she was instrumental in the rescue of Picard and the destruction of the Borg cube 35 years prior. Watch Shelby lead an away team that encounters Locutus below:

So it’s somewhat ironic that she is sitting in the captain’s chair of the new Enterprise, a position she coveted.

Even more ironic is her demonstration of the new technology dubbed Fleet Formation, which allows every Starfleet vessel to act as one. Picard event notes, “The irony of her endorsing something so … Borg-like.”

Of course, Frontier Day and Fleet Formation end up backfiring. With the entire fleet in one location, the Borg implement their plan.

Or specifically, the Borg Queen’s plan. Alice Krige returns to voice the Trek villainess, who first appeared in “Star Trek: First Contact” and made memorable appearances in “Star Trek: Voyager.” She is the one voice among the many, the queen of the hive — and the one who called out to Jack.

With Jack captured, the Queen is able to transmit her signal through him, taking over all the younger crew in Starfleet, including the two La Forge girls, Titan tactical officer Mura and communications officer Esmar.

Shelby’s crew is also compromised, and the final image we see of her is being fatally shot in the chest by two ensigns.

We only hear Krige’s voice in the episode and only see her back from a reverse shot, so Krige may make a physical appearance in Episode 10 titled “The Last Generation.” The episode will also serve as the Picard series finale.

IMAX is holding a special double screening of Episodes 9 and 10 on Wednesday, April 19. You can learn more about them here , though all dates are sold out and waiting list only.

New episodes of “Star Trek: Picard” air Thursdays on Paramount+.

Elizabeth Dennehy

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Elizabeth Dennehy ( born 1 October 1960 ; age 63) is the actress who played Elizabeth Shelby in the Star Trek: The Next Generation third and fourth season episodes " The Best of Both Worlds " and " The Best of Both Worlds, Part II ", and the Star Trek: Picard third season episode " Vox ".

She was interviewed for the article "Borg Buster!" by David Bossom in the January 1997 issue of Star Trek Monthly  issue 23 . Dennehy was also pictured on collectible cards in the editions CCG: Premiere Edition and CCG: Second Edition .

Born as Elizabeth Hannah Dennehy in Jacksonville, North Carolina, she is the daughter of veteran actor Brian Dennehy and the sister of actress Kathleen Dennehy. She is married to actor James Lancaster.

Television work [ ]

Dennehy began her television career on the soap opera The Guiding Light on which she portrayed Christina "Blake" Bauer Lindsey Thorpe between 1988 and 1989. Her part was then recast with Sherry Stringfield and later Elizabeth Keifer because of Dennehy's strong resemblance with Glenn Close . Following her appearance on The Next Generation , she had guest parts in episodes of Quantum Leap (1992, with Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell ), Class of '96 (1993, with Neil Maffin ), Seinfeld (1993, starring Jason Alexander and with Estelle Harris , Gina Hecht , Peter Crombie , Larry A. Hankin , Erick Avari , Tony Amendola , Lanei Chapman , Bill Erwin , Teri Hatcher , and Heidi Swedberg ), Brooklyn Bridge (1993), The Lazarus Man (1996), and C-16: FBI (1997, with Zach Grenier , Michael Cavanaugh , Glenn Morshower , Christopher Neame , and Natalia Nogulich ).

Further television credits include NYPD Blue (2000, with Gordon Clapp , Raymond Cruz , Heinrich James , and Pasha D. Lychnikoff ), Chicago Hope (2000), Judging Amy (2003, with Sara Mornell , Granville Van Dusen , Robin Gammell , Armin Shimerman , and Ray Xifo ), Gideon's Crossing (2001, with Nicholas Cascone , Freda Foh Shen , Ed Begley, Jr. , Deborah May , Michael Nouri , and Randy Oglesby ), The Agency (2001, with Ronny Cox , David Clennon , Claudette Nevins , Daniel Benzali , Nicholas Cascone, and Boris Krutonog ), Numbers (2005, with Bruce Davison ), Without a Trace (2006, with Enrique Murciano and Paul Collins ), and Commander in Chief (2006, with Jasmine Jessica Anthony , Leslie Hope , Ronny Cox, Tony Plana , and Glenn Harris ).

Between 2004 and 2006, Dennehy had a recurring role as Sandra, one of the elders, in eight episodes Charmed . Fellow Next Generation actor John de Lancie also portrayed an elder in several episodes. Other Trek performers who appeared in these episodes are Maury Sterling , Joey Anaya , Michael Hugghins , Joel Swetow , Bruce Gray , Lorin McCraley , James Wellington , John Dixon , Brian Oerly , Bill Blair , James Read , Glenn Morshower, David Mattey , and Alina Andrei .

More recent television work includes guest roles in Boston Legal (2008, with William Shatner , John Larroquette , and Ron Canada ), Medium (2009, with J.D. Cullum ), and The Mentalist (2009, with Marco Sanchez ).

Film work [ ]

Dennehy made her film debut in 1992 when working on The Waterdance with Susan Gibney , Mirron E. Willis , and Barbara Alyn Woods . She then had supporting parts in the television drama A Place to Be Loved (1993, with Cyril O'Reilly and Sam Anderson ), Clear and Present Danger (1994, with Harris Yulin , Raymond Cruz, Ellen Geer , Beau Lotterman , Reg E. Cathey , Vaughn Armstrong , John Putch , Michael Jace , Cameron Thor , Harley Venton , Miguel Perez , Kamala Lopez-Dawson , Aaron Lustig , Catherine MacNeal , and Deborah Landis ), along her father in the television crime movie Jack Reed: A Search For Justice (1994, with Miguel Ferrer , Marjorie Monaghan , Lindsey Haun , and Milt Tarver ), the television movie Runaway Car (1997, with Paul Eiding and Glenn Morshower), and On the Edge of Innocence (1997, with Terry O'Quinn , Olivia Birkelund , and Ronald Guttman ).

Also in 1997, Dennehy had two featured but memorable parts in Gattaca , with L.L. Ginter and David LeBell , and The Game , with Anna Katarina .

Further film work include The Prophecy II (1998, with J.G. Hertzler , Tom Towles , and Leonard O. Turner ), Soldier (1998, with James Black , Mark DeAlessandro , Jason Isaacs , Paul Sklar , Max Daniels , Don Pulford , and Jesse Littlejohn ), The Last Man on Planet Earth (1999, with Nancy Hower , Martha Hackett , Tamlyn Tomita , Azalea Davila , Cliff DeYoung , written by Kenneth Biller , and directed by Les Landau ), Come On Get Happy: The Partridge Family Story (1999, with Richard Fancy , Willie Garson , Mark Harelik , and Marc Worden ), Hard Time (1999, with Keith Carradine , Richard Riehle , Spencer Garrett , Tony Plana, Jack Sheldon , and Tony Rizzoli ), the television special Murder, She Wrote: The Last Free Man (2001, with Michael Jace, David Ogden Stiers , and John Hostetter ), and Red Dragon (2002, with John Rubinstein , David Doty , Brenda Strong , Robert Curtis Brown , Michael Cavanaugh, Andreana Weiner , William Lucking , and Mark Moses).

Her most recent film work are the family drama Welcome to Paradise (2007, with Ken Jenkins and Jim O'Heir ) and Hancock (2008, with Akiva Goldsman , Gregg Daniel , and David Mattey).

External links [ ]

• Elizabeth Dennehy at the Internet Movie Database
• Elizabeth Dennehy at Wikipedia
• Elizabeth Dennehy at the Charmed wiki

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Who Is Commanding The Enterprise F In Star Trek: Picard?

Since Star Trek: Picard ( ST: PIC ) began in 2020, there has been a constant question on everyone’s mind. Who is commanding Enterprise E? When Star Trek: Picard returned in 2022, the new question was, “When will we learn about the fate of the Enterprise?”. And now, in 2023, the latest question is, “Who is commanding the Enterprise F?” It’s fairly open-ended. Therefore, we dive into the possible theories about who is commanding the Federation flagship in Star Trek: Picard Season 3 .

We have had no spoilers regarding who could be behind the legendary seat. However, knowing showrunner Terry Matalas , it’ll likely be another surprise guest. But for now, we have to settle with speculation. And speculation is just what we are going to do! Before we get into the article, this is your spoiler warning! The characters we discuss here will have some of their expanded universe lore explored, so you have been warned!

Christine Vale

The hair-colour-changing, no-nonsense first officer of William T Riker (Jonathan Frakes), Christine Vale, made her first appearance in the expanded universe in the Starfleet Corp of Engineer (SCE) novels. Eventually, making a big impact during the Star Trek: Gateways miniseries and the Star Trek: A Time To.. series as the Enterprise E ‘s Tactical Officer. She made her name by joining the freshly Captained Riker to Romulus on the first of many assignments.

When Captain Riker became Rear Admiral against his will, she gained temporary command of the U.S.S. Titan for several missions before Riker made it official. The two had a solid working relationship, usually working in tandem with each other and occasionally butting heads. She remained Captain of the Titan until the final Star Trek: Coda trilogy. Regarding the canon universe, Vale was the first officer under Captain Riker on the U.S.S. Titan during its mission to assist the Jazari, further complicated when Romulans showed up.

Not much is known about Vale’s Starfleet career in canon, although she does begin as a peace officer on Izar. With all the lore, slight nods and heartfelt tie-ins that ST: PIC Season 3 has offered so far, it would not be surprising to see Christine Vale at the helm of Enterprise F. At the very least, it may reference her being Captain of the U.S.S. Titan after Riker. She has proven to be a capable leader, a critical thinker and well-versed in command and tactical decision. She would be a perfect choice to lead the Enterprise F into battle.

Sonya Gomez

The brilliant engineer famous for spilling hot chocolate on Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart), Sonya Gomez (Lycia Naff), rose through the ranks. She eventually joined the Corp Of Engineers and was assigned to the U.S.S. Da Vinci . She was the vessel’s first officer under Captain Gold in the expanded universe. She eventually became Captain when he ultimately retired. She commanded the vessel for many years, from the Borg Invasion of 2381 to the tensions with the Typhon Pact.

However, Gomez finally went down with the ship during the universe’s collapse in the events of Star Trek: Coda. In the Prime Universe, Gomez continued progressing, becoming Captain of the U.S.S. Archimedes, featured in Star Trek: Lower Decks . A hard worker, and an engineer by heart, she would be the perfect choice to Captain a The Enterprise F In Star Trek: Picard .

Ensign Harry Kim

Bright, daring, and a natural adventurer, Harry Kim (Garrett Wang) survived the Delta Quadrant and rose to be the most impressive Ensign in the fleet. In all seriousness, Harry Kim grew into quite an impressive officer. He grows from a brash young, ready-to-please ensign to a seasoned, well-skilled Ensign ready for anything. Upon returning to Earth, Harry was promoted to Lieutenant in the Expanded Universe, serving as Tactical and Security officer onboard the U.S.S. Voyager .

He protected the ship during the Borg Invasion of 2381 and its eventual return to the Delta Quadrant under the Full Circle Fleet. Harry Kim proved himself a capable officer, sometimes taking on the role of First Officer when required. A natural leader, he had a promising career ahead of him. In the Star Trek: Online timeline, Harry Kim did become a Captain, taking command of the U.S.S. Rhode Island. This season, we’ve seen many connections to all Star Trek Series, so who knows? Maybe a few surprise cameos may return, even if by mention only? And let’s be honest. It’s about time Harry Kim had an onscreen promotion!

Born rebel, outsider and all good round guy, Tom Eugene Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill) was a brilliant pilot. But his cocky, sometimes defiant attitude always managed to get him into trouble. He navigated the U.S.S. Voyager during its journey through the Delta Quadrant. Tom Paris was more than a rebellious officer, coming into his own and leading away mission. He also served as a nurse and medic, becoming a genuine crew member they could rely on.

In the Expanded Universe, when Voyager returned, Paris was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He became the First Officer onboard Voyager under Chakotay’s (Robert Beltran) command. Paris remained in that position all the way up until Voyager began a journey outside of known space, where he and B’Elanna returned to Earth for the sake of their family. Paris later rose to Commander and became assigned to the staff of Fleet Admiral Leonard James Akaar.

On Star Trek: Online, Tom Paris is Captain of the U.S.S. Mercury , taking a demotion from Admiral to command a task force of pilots against the invading Iconian threat. In the Prime Timeline, Tom Paris is currently piloting the U.S.S. Theseus under the command of Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks). Tom Paris has proven across all medians that he has grown into a confident, well-seasoned Commander who, thanks to his previous posting on Voyager, maybe the perfect Captain of the Enterprise, the home of second chances.

Va’Kel Shon

The first non-human Captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise , Shon proved his leadership time and time again, commanding the U.S.S. Belfast for many missions before her loss at Facility 4028 against the Dominion. He was offered the Captaincy of the U.S.S. Enterprise F. However, he refused at first, believing Captain Data (Brent Spiner) should take the command. When meeting with Data, the two agreed that Shon was a perfect fit, and with Data’s blessing, Shon accepted.

This allowed many Andorians to feel validated in the Federation. Shon repeatedly proved that he could carry the named vessel on his shoulders. He strode into battle and defended the ideals of the Federation time and time again. He proved that, without a doubt, the name Enterprise truly did have some big shoes to fill. Seeing him take command of his vessel on-screen and off-screen would be a genuinely lovely surprise. It would solidify a sort of unique consistency between the two universes.

With The Enterprise F In Star Trek: Picard , even a passing mention of Shon once being the captain would make Star Trek: Online players proud. There are already so many STO ships included in the series’ second and third seasons. Who knows? Maybe it’s time a few characters turned up too!

Red Shirt 87 A.K.A Canon Fodder

While returning a uniquely named legacy character would be ideal, perhaps we will see a brand new character that doesn’t have any connection to the previous series. This would certainly leave open the door for a brand new series, which we would all love. However, with the story of the season being espionage, cloak and dagger and infiltration, maybe the Captain of the Enterprise is a Changling, and the computer failure which crippled the vessel wasn’t so innocent after all….

Honourable Mentions

Elizabeth shelby (elizabeth dennehy).

Head of Borg Research, First Officer to Captain Riker temporarily and eventual Captain, Shelby had quite the career in the expanded universe, as first officer on board the U.S.S. Excalibur to Mac Calhoun, before becoming a Captain herself on board the Exeter, Excalibur A and the Trident. She was a formidable officer, eventually becoming an Admiral and participating in defence discussions during the Borg Invasion of 2381.

A genuine legend among legends, it would be most welcome to see another familiar face from Picard’s past rise up and command the vessel she once nearly fought Commander Riker for a posting on! Star Trek: Lower Decks established that Shelby had risen to the rank of Captain by 2381. Elizabeth Dennehy portrayed Shelby in her two-episode appearance.

Aneta Smrhova (Expanded Universe)

Chief of Security and Chief of Tactical on board Enterprise E, Aneta rose through the ranks from relief officer to Lieutenant Commander. In the novel Collateral Damage, she was the temp First Officer to Commander Worf (Michael Dorn), who was in temporary command as the Captain. The novel began setting up a genuine working relationship between the two, laying the foundations for them potentially taking on the Enterprise had the events of Star Trek: Coda not happened.

Worf took command of Enterprise E during Picard’s absence thanks to the tie-in novel The Last Best Hope, so who knows? Maybe the once relief Tactical Officer rose through the ranks, became First Officer and passed on the Enterprise F on Worf’s blessing? A rather out-there suggestion, I will admit…

Will We Ever Know?

And that’s it! A small (There are so many choices!) list of who could be the Captain of The Enterprise F In Star Trek: Picard. The ship has a legacy, so whoever Captains has some serious boots to fill, following in the steps of James T. Kirk (William Shatner), Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Jean-Luc Picard, Rachel Garret (Tricia O’Neill), Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) and John Harriman (Alan Ruck). With only two episodes of Season 3 remaining, it will be interesting to see what surprises Terry Matalas has in store.

Star Trek: Picard Season 3  airs on Thursdays via Paramount+ for those in the United States. Additionally, on Crave and the CTV Sci-Fi channel for viewers in Canada. However, new episodes air Fridays via Amazon Prime Video in international regions like the United Kingdom. Paramount+ also streams the episodes in select locations, such as Italy, Germany, and France.

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🔍️ – REVIEW: Star Trek: Picard “No Win Scenario”

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Star Trek: Best Book-Only Characters

• The Star Trek novels introduce unique characters like Akaar and Treir, adding depth to the expansive Starfleet universe.
• Characters like Nick Keller and Elias Vaughn bring new perspectives to the post- DS9 era, facing challenging galactic events.
• Mackenzie Calhoun leads the USS Excalibur in a new hero ship series, showcasing tactical genius in the New Frontier books.

Just like the universe itself, the Star Trek franchise is huge and far-reaching, encompassing several television shows, and numerous video games, movies, and books. While many of Star Trek 's most iconic characters appear in various series and films, there are many other great characters who only feature in alternative media sources. For instance, the final frontier has spawned some memorable video game-based characters .

Star Trek: 8 Most Powerful Federation Starships, Ranked

Yet perhaps the richest source of characters is the now questionably canon series of books that take place following The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine . From fresh takes on classic species like the Andorians and Orions, to some of Starfleet's finest officers, the Star Trek novels are a treasure trove of notable figures.

Leonard James Akaar

First appearence: star trek mission gamma book one: twilight.

• Author: David R. George III
• Publication Date: September 2002

Leonard James Akaar is unique among novel-only characters in that he does, in fact, make a blink-and-you'll-miss-it appearance on televised Trek . "Friday's Child," an episode of The Original Series , ends with his birth; however, the Capellan royal would not be seriously fleshed out until 2002's Mission Gamma: Twilight . By the time of the Deep Space 9 novels, Akaar had risen through the ranks of Starfleet to become an influential admiral with the ear of the Federation president.

Akaar's strategic mindset and steely resolve proved essential in preserving the Federation through some of its darkest periods, including the Borg invasion depicted in the Star Trek: Destiny series. The Starfleet legend may have been born in The Original Series , but the Star Trek novels were where he made his name.

First Appearence: Star Trek: Demons of Air and Darkness

• Author: Keith R. A. DeCandido
• Publication Date: September 2001

Star Trek features many inspirational female characters, from Kira Nerys to Katherine Janeway. However, few are as resourceful or as motivated as Treir , an Orion Dabo girl who transformed Quark's Bar into a highly successful business during the post- DS9 novels. Following her escape from Orion servitude, Treir earned her place as Quark's right-hand woman by implementing a series of radical reforms, including hiring a Dabo boy to attract more customers.

Star Trek: The Fates Of Every Live-Action TV Show's Main Character

Treir may not play a significant role in the canon-shattering events depicted in the Deep Space 9 novels, but this ruthless businesswoman helped to make Star Trek 's prose universe feel like a living, breathing place. If anyone is capable of giving Quark a run for his latinum, it's her.

Nick Keller

First appearence: star trek new earth: challenger.

• Author: Diane Carey
• Publication Date: August 2000

New Earth , a series of six novels that take place between Star Trek: The Motion Picture and The Wrath of Khan , was intended to act as a backdoor pilot for a new narrative focusing on Commander Nick Keller . In the final novel, Keller takes command of a makeshift starship in order to defend the human colony of Belle Terre from alien attack. Keller was conflicted between overthrowing his inept captain and preserving the lives of his comrades, and it's a great shame that a full series based on the space cowboy's adventures never emerged.

Interestingly, author Diane Carey based Keller's appearance on Scott Bakula, who would go on to play Captain Jonathan Archer in Star Trek: Enterprise . Keller, however, would make only two more appearances in the Star Trek universe, with both being part of the multi-series Gateways crossover event.

Elias Vaughn

First appearence: star trek: avatar (book one).

• Author: S. D. Perry
• Publication Date: July 2001

Elias Vaughn was a Starfleet officer and intelligence operative who joined Deep Space 9's command staff following the end of the Dominion War . Despite only holding the rank of commander, Vaughn's expertise proved a boon to the Federation outpost, and he played a role in several key events, including the USS Defiant 's post-war exploration of the Gamma Quadrant (depicted in the Mission Gamma sub-series).

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

Vaughn was haunted by the death of his wife, Ruriko, and his troubled relationship with his estranged daughter, Prynn. This relationship was complicated by the fact that Prynn was also assigned to Deep Space 9. However, father and daughter were eventually able to reconcile–but not without some bumps along the way.

Christine Vale

First appearence: star trek: the belly of the beast.

• Author: Dean Wesley Smith

While William Riker's USS Titan has made notable appearances in Star Trek: Lower Decks , the starship's adventures were originally chronicled in a series of spin-off novels. These books featured Christine Vale , a former detective turned Starfleet officer, as Riker's second-in-command. Vale was initially unwilling to take the post, as she disliked the idea of Riker working so closely with his wife, Deanna Troi.

Luckily, Vale took the post, which allowed her to act as a counterweight to any of Riker's Troi-related biases. During her time aboard the USS Titan , she helped to explore the Beta Quadrant and fend off a Borg invasion. Indeed, her record was so good that, following Riker's promotion to admiral, she took command of the Luna -class starship.

Thirishar ch'Thane

From their initial appearance in 1967's "Journey to Babel" and 2001's "The Andorian Incident," references to Star Trek 's Andorians were true and far between. One important detail was disclosed in The Next Generation , however: Andorians have four sexes , with all four required for successful reproduction.

The character of Thirishar ch'Thane (or "Shar") was a response to this premise. Shar served as Deep Space Nine's science officer following the end of the Dominion War, but was torn between his commitments to Starfleet and to his mating group, who wished him to return to Andor. This dilemma was further complicated by a dangerous decline in Andorian fertility, which threatened to cause the Andorians' extinction in the long term. Shar was eventually able to use his scientific knowledge to help solve the Andorian fertility crisis.

The Jem'Hadar are one of Star Trek 's most iconic creations , a powerful race of warriors motivated by their addiction to the chemical ketracel-white. During the Dominion War of 2373–2375, the Jem'Hadar were central to the Dominion assaults which nearly overwhelmed the Federation Alliance.

8 Best Starfleet Ships During The Dominion War

After the war's conclusion, Taran'atar , a Jem'Hadar without a ketracel-white dependency, was sent to Deep Space Nine as a cultural observer. Taran'atar's struggle to adjust to the Alpha Quadrant during peacetime makes for fascinating reading, as does seeing the fearsome warrior growing closer to his former enemies. Taran'atar's story takes some strange twists and turns, but he remains a fascinating character.

Mackenzie Calhoun

First appearence: star trek new frontier: house of cards.

• Author: Peter David
• Publication Date: July 1997

In 1997, Pocket Books published the first of Peter David's New Frontier books. While these novels included several characters from TV Trek (mostly notably Commander Shelby from "The Best of Both Worlds" ), they focused on a new hero ship, the USS Excalibur , and a new captain: Mackenzie Calhoun . Calhoun, an alien warrior modeled after Mel Gibson, was depicted as a tactical genius capable of beating Starfleet's toughest challenges–including the infamous Kobayashi Maru test.

Calhoun soon became a fan-favorite, with his New Frontier series including over 20 volumes. The Xenanian captain was even popular enough to be made into an action figure, the only example of this honor being bestowed on a character originating from any of Star Trek 's novels.

Created by Gene Roddenberry

First Film Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Latest Film Star Trek Beyond

First TV Show Star Trek: The Original Series

Latest TV Show Star Trek: Strange New Worlds

Creation Year 1966

What Happens to Tommy Shelby in 'Peaky Blinders' Finale?

“How long have we been dead for?”

The Big Picture

• Tommy Shelby faces the consequences of a Gypsy curse in Season 6.
• Despite believing he is cursed, Tommy confronts his fate and legacy.
• Peaky Blinders ends with Tommy breaking the curse and surviving, but still facing some remaining threats.

Peaky Blinders Season 6 brings an end to the adventures of Tommy and the Shelby family, at least for the time being. Fans of the crime drama loosely based on the real-life Birmingham gang had the opportunity to see how it all ends for Tommy Shelby back in 2022 when the season first aired, and they got to learn whether his story ends peacefully or if he will be another victim of the Gypsy curse that has haunted him while stealing his loved ones away.

Throughout the previous show, we have been introduced to a very calculated and violent Thomas Michael Shelby ( Cillian Murphy ). His ingenuity and ruthlessness in that period and help from family members, in particular his aunt, Polly Gray ( Helen McCrory ), has helped the Peaky Blinders rise from just another gang in Small Heath to the dominant force both there and with business holdings across the Atlantic. Mr. Shelby himself works his way up the social and political ladder to the House of Commons , where he becomes an MP.

Peaky Blinders

A gangster family epic set in 1900s England, centering on a gang who sew razor blades in the peaks of their caps, and their fierce boss Tommy Shelby.

After Multiple Tragedies, Tommy Feels the Weight of the Curse in Season 6 of 'Peaky Blinders'

Season 5 wrapped up with his conflict with Sir Oswald Mosley ( Sam Claflin ) coming to a head. Shelby ordered an assassination, which eventually failed after he was betrayed. Although we don't know who the traitor was in Season 5, the final season revealed it was Billy Grade ( Emmett J. Scanlan ) who was the culprit, having tipped off the IRA. Tommy Shelby is many things, and he adapts himself to whatever the situation might require. He could be both the devil and a savior. It all just depends on what is required.

In Season 6, what was required of him was simple: beat the Gypsy curse. He spends a good part of the season doing exactly that. Shelby is a Gypsy and believes in the curses . He is certain he has been cursed due to events earlier on in the series, and losing his wife, Grace ( Annabelle Wallis ), reinforces that belief. To escape his demons and in honor of his aunt Polly at her death , he forswears alcohol. Whatever control over the curse he thought he had soon evaporates with the death of his daughter, Ruby ( Heaven-Leigh Clee ). At her funeral, he declares, “But in her name and in her memory things will change.” But they do not change significantly enough as he goes off to enact his revenge on the lady he believes laid the curse that took his daughter.

This Is the Worst Thing That Thomas Shelby Has Ever Done in ‘Peaky Blinders'

Tommy is freed from the curse in season 6 of 'peaky blinders'.

For a man who believes he is cursed, things do not get any easier for Tommy Shelby. He is informed by Doctor Holford ( Aneurin Barnard ) that he has tuberculoma and has, at best, a year and a half to live. He is certain now that his death is imminent. For a man who has never been scared of dying since he returned from France in World War I, he sets about putting his legacy in order. Rather than live with this fate hanging over his head, Tommy decides to end it himself . However, he discovers that he is in fact not dying , and he had been lied to by the good doctor at the behest of Mr. Mosley .

In typical Tommy fashion, he confronts the doctor with the intent of killing him . After a conversation that unmasks who he had become over time, Tommy lets the doctor go and rides off into his new future, free of all the ties that have held him bound for long. He has broken the curse .

Having silenced his demons, Tommy is free from the threats in his head but those that breathe still remain with the likes of Boston gangsters Jack Nelson ( James Frecheville ) and Gina Gray ( Anya Taylor-Joy ), who would definitely seek vengeance for the death of Michael Gray ( Finn Cole ). There is also still the threat of Mosley, and with his growing power and influence, a lot more people could get hurt, aside from Tommy.

A feature film and future spin-offs were planned but there has been no news on the upcoming film. In 2022, Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight confirmed that the film would start production in 2023 with the film coming to theaters in 2024. However, due to the strikes last year, it's unclear where progress is on the film . Until then, the saga ends.

All of Peaky Blinders is available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.

Watch on Netflix

• April 25, 2024 | Jonathan Frakes Sees Opportunities With Streaming Star Trek Movies, Weighs In On “Filler Episodes”
• April 25, 2024 | Recap/Review: ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Reflects On Its Choices In “Mirrors”
• April 24, 2024 | Coffee Table Book On The ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Makeup Artistry Of Glenn Hetrick Coming In September
• April 24, 2024 | ‘William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill’ Documentary Arrives On VOD On Friday
• April 23, 2024 | THEORY: Did ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Finally Resolve The “Calypso” Mystery?

Jonathan Frakes Sees Opportunities With Streaming Star Trek Movies, Weighs In On “Filler Episodes”

| April 25, 2024 | By: Laurie Ulster 4 comments so far

Earlier this week, TrekMovie’s All Access Star Trek podcast team spoke to director and Star Trek: The Next Generation (and Picard ) star Jonathan Frakes along with Deep Space Nine star Armin Shimerman, DS9 guest star Kitty Swink, and television writer/producer Juan Carlos Coto, brother of late  Enterprise  writer/producer Manny Coto. They had all gathered together to talk about the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and their team Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer for the Purple Stride walk this Saturday, April 27th. During the wide-ranging chat, Frakes weighed in some some of the latest Star Trek news.

Frakes talks Lower Decks and 2-hour streaming movie format

Jonathan Frakes had some thoughts regarding the future of Lower Decks , reacting to the recent news that the upcoming fifth season of the animated series will be its last . He directed the Lower Decks / Strange New Worlds “Those Old Scientists” crossover, and when asked if he thought there could be another crossover episode, he saw it as a possibility:

“I think the show did so well. You know, [co-showrunner] Akiva [Goldsman] would would certainly take the swing like that. I think [co-showrunner] Henry Alonso Myers would too. I’m not sure how Paramount Plus or Alex [Kurtzman] would feel about it, but it worked.”

After some talk about whether or not Lower Decks could be revived like Prodigy was on Netflix, Frakes brought up that a new format could offer possibilities:

“I do know that there’s a lot of positive energy around the Michelle Yeoh Section 31 movie. So that 2-hour format is now on the table for Star Trek going forward.”

Frakes agreed that in addition to  Lower Decks , this format could also be a home for Terry Matalas’ Star Trek: Legacy pitch for a spin-off of the third season of Picard. When asked, Frakes said “of course” Matalas has spoken to him about Legacy . If Legacy did transform into a streaming movie, Frakes doesn’t expect he would direct, predicting Terry would “hire himself” to helm it as he did for the season 3 finale.

Jonathan Frakes in season 2 of  Lower Decks

Frakes weighs in on “filler episodes”

One of the recent hot topics around Star Trek centers around comments from executive producer Alex Kurtzman about how the modern streaming era of 10-episode seasons forces them to “really make sure that every story counts,” noting he has talked to writers who worked on earlier incarnations of Trek with 26-episode seasons who lamented having to do “filler episodes.” When the subject of filler episodes was brought up, Frakes said of TNG:

“The only filler I thought was real was when they clearly did a clip show [“Shades of Gray”]. That was a piece of shit.”

Frakes agreed with Juan Carlos Coto (a writer and showrunner on the ABC series 9-1-1 ) who said filler episodes were “never intentional.” They pointed out that budgets get spent at the beginning and end of seasons, so”in the middle, there’s a lot of talking.” As Frakes admitted, some of the best material had to be saved for the right time:

“We made 26 episodes a year, they had a set budget for the year and you split it up 26 ways or however they saw fit… and you got to save stuff for the cliffhanger… Like “Best of Both Worlds,” Picard is Locutus and we’re about to fucking blow up the ship and kill him.”

Shelby (Elizabeth Dennehy) and Riker (Jonathan Frakes) in the final moments of “Best of Both Worlds” season 3 cliffhanger finale

If you can, please join Purple Stride, donate to the cause, or both. If you can’t, please spread the word via social media and word of mouth. For more info visit the Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer participation and donation page

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Imagine Deep Space Nine, with 10 episodes per season and how forced and unrealistic many of the storylines and character developments would look.

Cheers to the “filler” episodes !

“Duet”, probably the best episode of Season 1, was a filler episode.

Yes to both points. TBH I don’t mind a more serialized approach like Discovery and Picard, but the so-called “filler” episodes do add a lot to the characters and world-building they can do. Yes, some of them aren’t great, but I’d gladly take that along with the great episodes that can stem from the “filler.”

And I really do think Lower Decks could thrive with a movie format, or even just hour-long specials similar to South Park.

I like the idea of multi-episode streaming movies, viewed online. What are the current series long shows like Discovery, if not that? Multi-part shows, streamed online over 8-10 weeks, loosely or tightly inter-connected. SNW’s breaks that mold a little bit with more seeming stand-alone episodes, albeit connected by the underlying plot threads – Pikes knowledge of his demise, for example.