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What are the Trill in Star Trek? Explained

In many ways, it’s easy to explain the Trill of Star Trek . They are a humanoid species from the planet Trill located in the Alpha Quadrant. They look just like Humans except for the cluster of dark spots running along the sides of their heads and – though it’s often unseen for censorship purposes – along their bodies. There’s an aspect of Trill culture that’s a little more difficult to explain, though, but I’ll give it a try anyway.

What is a Trill?

The Trill are as scientifically advanced as most alien races throughout the galaxy of Star Trek . They, too, love to put things under a microscope and study them in official research capacities. It’s potentially in their pursuit of knowledge that they discovered a long, long time ago that some of them had the ability to link with a Trill symbiont.

Related : The Best Star Trek TV Shows, Ranked

They undergo surgery during which a big worm is placed in their abdomen. This process forms an immediate connection between the host and the symbiont. The two then embark on a lifelong journey of sharing memories and life experiences after they are joined. It’s not such an easy concept to explain to anyone new to fandom.

The Trill were first introduced in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and have been a have since become staple of the franchise. We even got to see the ancient underground pools where Trill went to better understand, or sometimes heal, the symbiont within them.

Notable Trill in Star Trek

However, Deep Space Nine didn’t just introduce the Trill or their cultural practices. The series gave us the most famous Trill of all: Jadzia Dax. She was the First Officer and BFF of Captain Sisko. She was also the closest that many transgender Star Trek fans had ever gotten to complex representation in a popular sci-fi series.

As much as we love (and miss) her, though, Jadzia was not the only Trill to get into space shenanigans like time travel and facing one’s own insecurities. She came from a long line of Trill who’d joined with the Dax symbiont. Some of whom we met in Deep Space Nine , like the incorrigible Curzon or the emphasis Ezri.

Then, of course, there’s Barnes in Lower Decks and Gray Tal in Discovery . Technically, there’s also Adira Tal but that complicated history is for another time. Just know that explaining the Trill of Star Trek just got a little easier. You’re welcome!

Why Star Trek's Trill Mysteriously Sprouted Spots When It Came Time For Deep Space Nine

The Trill were first introduced in the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" episode "The Host" (May 11, 1991). In that episode, Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) engaged in an intense love affair with a Trill super-diplomat named Odan (Franc Luz), a man whom she later discovered had a very unusual biology. It seems some members of the Trill species are joined with incredibly long-lived worm-like symbionts that are surgically implanted in their stomachs. The symbionts possess the memories and experiences of all their hosts and take over the personalities of the people they are implanted inside of. Symbionts can live through dozens of hosts in their lives.

In "The Host," Odan sported inverted v-shaped forehead ridges above his eyes and a larger, extended septum. The makeup was designed by Michael Westmore, a longtime "Next Generation" makeup artist.

It wouldn't be until "Emissary" (January 3, 1993), the pilot episode of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," that Trekkies would encounter another Trill. "DS9" featured a Trill character named Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell), who served as Deep Space Nine's science officer. In the lore of the series, Jadzia had recently been given the Dax symbiote after it spent many decades inside the body of a party-loving old man named Curzon. Jadzia had to reconnect with several old friends who knew her from her previous life.

Dax, one might immediately note, doesn't have the same forehead ridges that Odan did. It seems that the makers of "Deep Space Nine," after trying out similar ridges on Farrell, elected to do something less obtrusive. According to Paula M. Block's and Terry J. Erdmann's book "Star Trek: The Next Generation 365,"  Dax's makeup artists modeled her new "spots" after Westmore saw how good they looked on Famke Janssen in the "Next Generation" episode "The Perfect Mate" (April 27, 1992).

Famke Janssen, the perfect mate

Resourceful Trekkies can likely find the early makeup tests that Terry Farrell went through for "Deep Space Nine." It seems that the original Dax makeup design was to give her Odan's forehead ridges  but to make them less pronounced . The reason for a more "subtle" version of the makeup was likely twofold. For one, the series already featured numerous alien characters that required hours-long makeup jobs, and having one fewer was cheaper. It's also likely that someone didn't want the actor's face covered. According to the "365" book, the studio in particular didn't want an attractive actor like Farrell to sport a weird alien forehead. A redesign of the Trill makeup was required.

Westmore recalled doing makeup for "The Perfect Mate" and was inspired. In that episode, a woman named Kamala (Famke Janssen) is being transported in stasis to a diplomatic summit where she will offered as a bartered bride. Kamala's arranged marriage with a distant politician will, it is hoped, end a generations-long war. Naturally, Kamala — having been released from stasis early by accident — accidentally bonds with Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart). Kamala was depicted as being romantically and sexually irresistible, and her makeup was meant to reflect that. Westmore was fond of her look, which incorporated a series of small red spots on Kamala's temples.

That look was recreated for Dax and even expanded. Dax had a complex series of spots that ran down her temples and down her neck. A flirtatious alien once asked Dax how far down the spots go, and she winkingly replied, "All the way."

The new Trill look worked well. It denoted that she was an alien, but more subtly than the show's Changeling or Ferengi characters.

The continuity headache

Sadly, the new makeup design caused no small amount of headaches for Trekkies obsessed with continuity (which is to say, most Trekkies). In "The Host," both Odan and the eventual second host of his symbiont (played by actor Nicole Orth-Pallavicini) had the ridged forehead and pronounced septums. After that, all Trill had the temple spots, even into the days of "Star Trek: Discovery." There has never been a canonical reason for the change, and no characters have ever commented that Trill used to look different.

It is, frustratingly, just another changed "Star Trek" premise that fans merely have to accept. For many years, for example, Klingons looked like humans, only sporting Fu-Manchu-style mustaches. In "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," they suddenly had outsize forehead ridges. In "Next Generation," their foreheads were enormous, and in "Discovery," they sported either jet-black or pearl-white skin, elongated skulls, new eyeballs, and even extra nostrils. These kinds of changes are done for the benefit of the showrunners' creativity and typically serve to make fans squirm uncomfortably. Something similar happened with the Romulans as they moved from the original "Star Trek" to the days of "Next Generation."

Of course, with the Klingons, their change was eventually addressed . A multi-part episode of "Star Trek: Enterprise" explained that the "Original Series" Klingons were infused with enhanced human DNA. That DNA would eventually be bred out of Klingons in a few generations, hence they looked the way they did in "Next Generation."

Given the attention to detail some "Trek" writers pay, it's likely a future episode will explain away the Trill foreheads in earnest.

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Published Aug 3, 2011

The Trill of It All –Terry Farrell Interview, Part 2

Terry Farrell spoke yesterday about her frenzied first few weeks on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and how, over time, she developed the character, with the Trill taking on several of her own attributes. Today, in the second half of our interview, Farrell discusses her decision to depart DS9 after the sixth season, fills us in on what her life is like now, and shares her excitement about the upcoming 45th anniversary festivities at Creation’s Official Star Trek Convention in Las Vegas .

A lot of fans were surprised that you didn’t return as Dax in some way, shape or form in the final season of DS9. How about you?

Farrell: Yes. Yes. I did not want to die. I would have been so happy if they just would have let me be a recurring (character) the final season, so I didn’t have to be in every episode. I was just really tired. I was tired of waking up at four in the morning. I was tired of all the minutiae. I’m sure a lot of the other actors feel this way, too. When you’re number five (on the call sheet), you’re waiting for that schedule to arrive and it becomes frustrating. You want to feel like you have your life again, and I’d definitely put my life on hold because I didn’t know how to balance a schedule constantly changing all the time. It was really hard for me.

After you left, did you watch DS9 at all?

Farrell: No. No, I didn’t. I didn’t because the person replacing me, I didn’t want to not like them or be jealous, because I knew I would be. I loved Dax. I didn’t not love playing the character. I didn’t not love the show. I didn’t not love the people. Just the routine of it all, I needed a break. I personally just needed a mental break and, unfortunately, I wasn’t mature enough to maybe present it in the way of saying, “Could I please be a recurring character?” I’m sure at that point, too, for Rick Berman and those people, it was all or nothing. They were angry because I wasn’t doing what they wanted me to do or expected me to do. So it was an unfortunate situation all the way around.

Are you at the stage now, though, where you can sit down with your son Max and watch episodes of the show?

Farrell: Yes. Well, see, now the hard thing is I’ll be watching a show where I’m with Worf ( Michael Dorn ) and I’ll be like, “Huuuuuuugghhhh! Do I kiss Michael in this episode? Do I kiss someone else?” My character wasn’t predictable enough for me to go, “Yeah, that’ll be an easy episode to get through with my seven-year-old!” But he has seen “Trials and Tribble-ations.” So that’s the one episode he’s seen so far. But he has my action figure. Dax plays with everyone – Sonic and Buzz Lightyear. Dax is always by their side, which is pretty cool.

What are you doing these days?

Farrell: I’m a registered yoga teacher with the Yoga Alliance. I have my 200 hours in and I teach at our local rec center. It’s twice a week and I have a nice little class. I started to garden again this year. And, of course, I’m a mom and a wife. That’s what I do.

Would you say that you’re officially retired from acting and, if so, why?

Farrell: Well, I guess I am officially retired from acting and I’d say that’s because my focus is on my family. I waited so long to put this family together. I came from a home where my mother had been married and divorced a couple of times and it was a really scary thing for me to commit. It took a long time for me to realize that I was the problem, that I was the runaway bride. When I finally met the right guy my life suddenly became very real, and I didn’t want to lose any of those amazing things I’d just gotten: the right guy, somebody who wanted to have a family with me. So, after living in Los Angeles for 21 years, I thought we’d probably have a better shot at having a healthy and strong marriage if we weren’t doing what we were doing, which was essentially waiting for whatever job to come along and letting your life sort of unfold like you’re gypsies. I didn’t want to do that. I didn’t want to do that to a marriage and I certainly didn’t want to bring a child into the world in that situation. That’s for me. That’s me. It’s too much for me to do everything. And I wanted to raise my son myself. I didn’t want to have to have a nanny. There are days now when I wish I’d had one, but I didn’t. Max still loves me, so it’s all good.

You still make the occasional Star Trek convention appearance, and you’ll be up there on the stage at Creation’s 45th Anniversary show next week. What do you still enjoy about doing the shows?

Farrell: Oh my gosh, I’m more relaxed than I’ve ever been. When I was doing them while doing the show I was always stressed out about time and learning lines and being sleep-deprived and lonely because I was single, and all those crazy things that happen when you’re single. Plus, I was usually racing back to L.A. to do the show. Now I can just enjoy it more. I’m still going back to my life, but I’m not rushing back. It’s not like I have a deadline or someone yelling at me about possibly missing a flight and being late (for work). I always felt like I was constantly trying to ride this precarious edge. And I just didn’t have the energy to do all of it. Now I can bring my family with me. Mommy can go to work and I feel like I don’t have to worry about anything. I can say hi to everyone and they enjoy the conventions, and I do, too. And at night I get to go hang out with my husband and son, my mom and dad, and it just feels more like life should be.

Who from the old Trek days are you still in touch with?

Farrell: I try, but it’s hard for me because I live so far away from everybody. I used to see Marina (Sirtis) all the time. Armin Shimerman’s wife, Kitty, and I would always talk about going for a run, and then we’d wind up going to breakfast instead. And I’d see Brent (Spiner) and Michael Dorn. But now I really don’t see them because I live so far away, which is another reason why I enjoy it when I do a convention. I get to see some of my friends. And I did get in touch with Whoopi (Goldberg) because of the No H8 Campaign. I got my picture taken for No H8, which supports the right to marry who you love. Whoopi and I were going to try to do a picture together. It didn’t work out, but it was great because it put me back in touch with her. I’d actually never worked with her on Star Trek , but we were connected through Hollywood Squares . I was on Becker (with Goldberg’s then-boyfriend, Ted Danson), which was on CBS, and Hollywood Squares was CBS, so it was fun to meet her like that.

To read part one of our interview with Terry Farrell, click HERE .

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Memory Beta, non-canon Star Trek Wiki

A friendly reminder regarding spoilers ! At present the expanded Trek universe is in a period of major upheaval with the continuations of Discovery and Prodigy , the advent of new eras in gaming with the Star Trek Adventures RPG , Star Trek: Infinite and Star Trek Online , as well as other post-57th Anniversary publications such as the ongoing IDW Star Trek comic and spin-off Star Trek: Defiant . Therefore, please be courteous to other users who may not be aware of current developments by using the {{ spoiler }}, {{ spoilers }} OR {{ majorspoiler }} tags when adding new information from sources less than six months old (even if it is minor info). Also, please do not include details in the summary bar when editing pages and do not anticipate making additions relating to sources not yet in release. THANK YOU

• Memory Beta articles sourced from RPGs
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• Races and cultures
• Alpha Quadrant races and cultures
• Federation races and cultures
• Humanoid species
• View history
• 1.1 Biology
• 1.2.1 Rituals
• 1.3.1 Civilization
• 1.3.2 Alternate timelines
• 2.1 Notable Trill
• 3.1 Appearances
• 3.2 External link

History and specifics [ ]

Biology [ ].

Trill Internal Anatomy

Trill were marsupials , and as such, had abdominal pouches with which to provide incubation for their newborns. Both males and females had pouches, and both sexes were capable of incubation. The pouch was also used as a conduit for medications to quickly enter the body, as well as the joining point between host and Trill symbiont .

Tens of thousands of years ago , the bipedal Trill humanoid was covered in sleek fur and had a steeply ridged brow. It was at this stage of their evolution that the first joining occurred. ( DS9 - Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine novel : Trill: Unjoined )

An important neurotransmitter in the Trill brain is isoboramine . ( DS9 episode : " Equilibrium ", DSC episode : " Forget Me Not ")

Culture [ ]

The Trill mathematical system is noted for containing ethical modes. ( TNG novel : Intellivore )

The Trill ruling council was divided into junior and senior members. Senior members, whose symbionts had lived more than one lifetime, were allowed to call general meetings. Junior members, whose symbionts had lived only one, were not. Membership was restricted to joined men until the 21st century. ( DS9 short story : " First Steps ")

While Trill society was sharply gendered for generations, the custom of symbionts swapping between successive male and female hosts made for an androgynous subculture. ( DS9 short story : " First Steps ")

Rituals [ ]

• rite of emergence

History [ ]

Around 23,000 BC , a Trill symbiont named Sef enticed a walker to the Pool in which it lived and entered its pouch becoming the first joined Trill. ( DS9 - Worlds of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine novel : Trill: Unjoined )

Two major factors contributed to the rise of Trill technology: the memories of symbionts, and easy access to ores and heavy metals. The symbionts could communicate with the humanoid Trills through joining, although the ways and means of the first jining remain shrouded in secrecy by the Trill Symbiosis Commission . Symbionts passed from host to host but retained their memories and friendships, and kept Trill society centered on a long-term view. Geologically, the planet Trill 's heavy tectonic activity led to the formation of quakecaverns and eroded tunnels, through which the Trill could easily gain access to deposits of iron, aluminum, and other useful metals. The combination of the two factors led to the rapid rise of technology. ( Decipher RPG module : Worlds )

As Trill society grew, their governments adopted a system influenced by the symbionts. The symbiont populations grew much more slowly than the humanoid Trill populations, so many Trills competed to have the right qualifications to be selected as a host. This general competitiveness showed through academic achievement and philosophical development—the symbionts made it clear that they would reject violent individuals who tried to become hosts by force. As a result, all Trill civilization stressed a high level of education and ethical personal responsibility. By the time they had covered all of their planet's landmasses, the Trill already had a unified world government, a meritocracy run through systems of examinations and scientific appointments. This system was well in place by the time the Trill met the Federation , but matters were still cool between the two powers. Trills valued their independence and their position as a neutral party. Over the exchange of several decades, it became clear that the Federation stood for the same high values that Trill society encouraged—and that the members of the Federation had embraced those values, due to long years of struggle and learning, having worked hard to establish what came naturally to Trill culture. Eventually, the Trill applied for and received Federation membership in one of the fastest turnaround times from application to completion. ( Decipher RPG module : Worlds )

Civilization [ ]

Trills have a civilization marked by a decided lack of conflict. The combination of environment taking off population pressures, crossed with the stabilizing influence of the peaceful symbionts, helped to make the Trill into intellectuals instead of warriors. Their war was not to subdue other cultures for resources, but rather to tame the environment. ( Decipher RPG module : Worlds )

The Vulcans made first contact with Trill circa 2055, during the youth of Lela Dax . The highly divisive first contact "crisis" engendered many policy changes regarding the symbionts, including putting the symbiont pools under guard. The Trill government adopted a xenophobic stance, repulsing any contact with other alien species. Messages were sent to alien ships asking them to bypass the Trill system. This policy continued until the L'Dira incident in 2075. ( DS9 short story : " First Steps ")

By the 22nd century , Trills had largely tamed their world, and engaged in rudimentary space travel and contacts with other cultures through subspace radio . The close of the 22nd century saw the Trill invention of warp drive . By the 23rd century , Trill warp engines were on par with most Starfleet designs; Trill travelers became a common sight throughout the Alpha Quadrant , although their symbionts remained secret and the Trill had little desire to colonize or conquer other worlds. ( Decipher RPG module : Worlds )

The Burn , an apocalyptic event which took place in the 31st century , greatly affected Trill. The population was decimated, and the survivors withdrew from the Federation. ( DSC episode : " Forget Me Not ")

Alternate timelines [ ]

In the Kelvin timeline , Doctor Leonard McCoy had a nightmare in 2255 where he had to treat streams of patients, including Trill, all by himself. ( TOS - Starfleet Academy novel : The Assassination Game )

In another alternate timeline , the Trill scientist Jadzia Dax subscribed to the Bajoran religion . ( SCE eBook : Lost Time )

In one permutation of the mirror universe , the Terran Empire made contact with the Trill homeworld in the 23rd century . Spock , Emperor of the Terran Empire , had all Trill symbionts in the Caves of Mak'ala killed by Captain Saavik of the ISS Enterprise , and organised the assassination of every joined Trill except for Curzon Dax . ( ST - Mirror Universe novel : The Sorrows of Empire )

Known Individuals [ ]

Notable trill [ ].

• Lenara Kahn
• Bejal Otner

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ], external link [ ].

• Trill article at Memory Alpha , the wiki for canon Star Trek .
• 1 Ferengi Rules of Acquisition
• 2 Odyssey class
• 3 Yamato class

Star Trek Just Doubled Down on Its Wildest Body-Switching Concept

Welcome back to Trill.

Body switching is a classic sci-fi trope. From Freaky Friday to Farscape , and of course, most of Quantum Leap, the idea of the consciousness from one person inhabiting the body of a different person will never stop being the fuel for speculative stories that are both hilarious and profound. But, when Star Trek invented the “joined” species of the Trill in 1991, it took the body-switching/body-surfing trope to a new level. While a specific Trill symbiont might live for several hundreds of years, this slug-like creature generally inhabited a humanoid host. This “joining” often created a new hybrid personality each time, sort of like Time Lord regeneration from Doctor Who mashed up with internal alien parasites from Alien; a chest-burster that never burst, but just stayed in you forever.

And if all of that wasn’t wild enough, on June 12, in the episode “Facets,” 1995, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine added a new wrinkle to Trill canon. Not only were the memories of all the previous hosts alive and well in the current symbiont, but, through a process called “zhian’tara,” a specific host’s personality could leave the symbiont and enter into the body of... anyone! Basically, this was Trill joining via spacey magic, and now, 29 years after “Facets,” Star Trek: Discovery is doubling down (tripling down?) on this very specific form of consciousness transfer in the Season 5 episode “Jinaal.” Spoilers ahead.

The Trill host trick

Dax and Odo discuss sharing memories in “Facets.”

Although the Trill were established in The Next Generation episode “The Host,” the vast majority of Trill canon comes from Deep Space Nine , thanks to the presence of Jadzia Dax, who later, in Season 7, switched hosts and became Ezri Dax. But, in the memorable Season 3 episode “Facets,” Jadzia’s previous host, Curzon, left her body through the zhian’tara process and settled in the body of the station’s resident shapeshifter, Odo. From that point, Odo’s entire personality was merged with Curzon’s, which put everyone on the station in a deeply uncomfortable position.

As a stand-alone episode of DS9 , “Facets” remains a fantastic story about memory, regret, and what one generation owes the next. But, the legacy of “Facets” is easily the concept of zhian’tara, which was used to save Gray Tal’s consciousness in Discovery Season 4, and now, in Season 5, is being employed again to unravel an 800-year-old mystery.

Discovery’s return to Trill

Cubler (Wilson Cruz) takes on an ancient Trill tradition in Discovery Season 5.

The planet Trill was first seen in DS9 in the episode “Equilibrium,” but Discovery has actually visited the planet more times, starting in the Season 3 episode “Forget Me Not,” and now again, in “Jinaal.” This time the need to transfer the memories of one previous Trill host into someone else is all connected to the secrets Jinaal Bix has about researcher of the Progenitors in the 24th century.

After transferring Jinaal’s consciousness into Culber, the entire personality of our stalwart Starfleet doctor changes, and, just like “Facets,” he suddenly becomes cockier, and more evasive. If you watch “Facets” right after watching “Jinaal,” the parallels are clear. While Curzon’s secret was connected to something personal, Jinaal’s secret has broader implications. Turns out, Federation scientists were working on cracking the Progenitor tech during the era of the Dominion War, and so they decided to bury any knowledge of the technology to prevent any planet or government from weaponizing their research.

Interestingly, this detail dovetails with Picard Season 3 a bit, in which we learned that Section 31 was pushing different Federation scientists to weaponize the organic nature of Changelings. Basically, the Dominion War created a lot of corrupt scientific research within the Federation, making the top-secret Daystrom labs that Riker, Raffi, and Worf raided perhaps just a small sample of the horrible top-secret weapons the Federation has developed.

What Discovery does is make it clear that Jinaal did the right thing at the time by hiding the research — even if that doesn’t help our heroes at the moment.

A classic Original Series nod

Sargon enters Kirk’s body in “Return to Tomorrow.”

Of course, within the canon of Trek, the Trill weren’t the first time the franchise explored the concept of sharing consciousness. Spock transferred his katra to Bones in The Wrath of Khan , and Kirk switched bodies with Janice Lester in the controversial final TOS episode “Turnabout Intruder.”

But, one wonderful 1968 episode from TOS Season 2 — “Return to Tomorrow” — featured ancient beings borrowing the bodies of Kirk, Spock, and Dr. Ann Mulhall in order to build more permanent, android bodies. When the ancient being of Sargon enters Kirk’s body, one of the first things he says is: “Your captain has an excellent body.”

Now, 56 years later, when Jinaal finds himself in Culber’s body, he says something similar: “Wow, this guy really works out!”

Across decades of internal canon, Star Trek can make the same body-switching joke, and make it work, in any century.

Star Trek: Discovery Season 5 drops new episodes on Fridays on Paramount+.

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From Star Trek: Theurgy Wiki

• Kestra Pren
• Zaryn Arn (KIA)
• Sephiria Arn, callsign "Scylla" (KIA)
• Kaylon Jeen (KIA)
• Edena Rez (KIA)
• Vereyn Kiiz (KIA)
• Komial Dotnihl (KIA)
• Derik Veradin (KIA)
• Kanti MacTavish, callsign "Gun-Shy" (KIA)

The Trill (or Trills) were a humanoid species native to the planet Trill. They appeared almost identical to Humans, but for rows of spots running down the sides of their bodies, from head to toe. However, this superficial similarity concealed a considerable difference — the Trill were capable of bonding with a symbiotic organism known as a symbiont, creating a distinct being from the two individual creatures. The symbionts could live for many centuries, and were placed with successive hosts, carrying the memories and knowledge of previous hosts into a new joining with each new generation. This fact wasn’t widely known outside the Trill themselves, but it wasn’t a secret — it simply wasn’t widely discussed, and the number of joined Trill was relatively small. The Trill had been part of the Federation for well over a century as of 2381, with several renowned Trill serving important roles in shaping the Federation . The Trill, as a culture, tended to be focused on intellectual pursuits first and foremost, as learning and wisdom were prized by the symbionts in their hosts.

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Star Trek Confirms Jadzia Did Not Need the Dax Symbiote to Kick Ass

• Jadzia from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine did not need the Dax symbiote to shine as a Starfleet hero.
• The Trill race, unique in Star Trek, could have been just another "alien of the week," but was transformed into a compelling element of the franchise.
• Sons of Star Trek #2 pays tribute to Curzon and showcases Jadzia's badassery without the symbiote.

Warning: contains spoilers for Sons of Star Trek #2!

Star Trek has confirmed that Jadzia did not need the Dax symbiote to be a great Starfleet officer. The Trill are one of the most fascinating races in the Star Trek universe. Jadzia Dax, Deep Space Nine’s science officer, was a member of the Trill. The Dax symbiote gave Jadzia an advantage, but as seen in Sons of Star Trek #2, she did not need it to be a hero.

Sons of Star Trek #2 is written by Morgan Hampton and drawn by Angel Hernandez. The USS Avery, in an alternate timeline, is fighting the Breen–and the fight does not go well. Jadzia, who in this universe was never joined to the Dax symbiote, suggests they try something called the “Curzon Maneuver.” The move is highly unorthodox and dangerous, but Jadzia is confident she can pull it off, having written her thesis on it.

Sure enough, Jadzia successfully executes it and the day is saved.

The Trill Could Have Been Just Another Star Trek Race Seen Once and Never Again

Jadzia dax made the trill a premiere star trek race.

The Trill, introduced as another “alien of the week” in Star Trek: The Next Generation’s fourth season, was reworked for Deep Space Nine, becoming one of the franchise’s most compelling races. Unique among other Star Trek species, the Trill are a “joined” race. That is, the Trill consists of an eons-old symbiote who lives inside a host. When joined, the host gains the symbiote’s combined knowledge and experience. Jadzia Dax was one such Trill. A young woman, Jadzia, thanks to the Dax symbiote, actually had centuries of wisdom at her disposal.

Terry Farrell portrayed Jadzia Dax for the first six seasons of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. She was replaced by another character, Ezri, played by Nicole De Boer, during the show's seventh season.

Although Jadzia was not joined to the Dax symbiote in this alternate timeline, Sons of Star Trek #2 still manages to pay tribute to Curzon. Curzon was the host of the Dax symbiote before Jadzia. Although Curzon was dead by the beginning of Deep Space Nine, his presence was felt throughout the show’s seven seasons. Ben Sisko, who had been a friend of Curzon's, told numerous stories about him, and of his iconoclastic approach to life. Jadzia (and later Ezri) reaped the benefits of not only Curzon’s well-lived life, but the other hosts as well.

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The Star Trek franchise has been loathe to tackle the issue of religion, but IDW's new series is confronting it in a totally new way.

Jadzia Kicks Ass Even Without the Dax Symbiote

Jadzia is one of star trek's coolest characters.

While it may be tempting to give sole credit for all of Jadzia’s accomplishments to the Dax symbiote, Sons of Star Trek #2 proves she did not need it at all. Deep Space Nine established that Jadzia, even prior to being joined to the Dax symbiote, was highly competent. Trill society does not allow just anyone to be joined. There is a rigorous vetting process, and Jadzia passed with flying colors, proving her worth. However, she was not joined in this universe, but as seen in her skillful execution of the Curzon Maneuver, it is a moot point.

Sons of Star Trek #2 is on sale now from IDW Publishing!

Star Trek: Discovery – Hugh Culber's Resurrection, Explained

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Star Trek: 5 Deaths That Rocked The Franchise's Foundation

Star trek: discovery - what happened to prime gabriel lorca, x-men '97 actor believes his character could have resolved avengers: infinity war.

Star Trek: Discovery turned viewer distress into joy by killing off fan-fave Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz) only to bring him back with a shocking resurrection in season 2. Audienecs first fell in love with him in season 1, episode 4, "The Butcher’s Knife Cares Not for the Lamb’s Cry." His ability to gently wield a medical tricorder while respectfully telling off a superior officer had them immediately intrigued. Over time, they learned that Hugh cares with his whole heart even when it hurts. He’s not afraid to speak his mind – whether to challenge an order or express his emotions with vulnerability. By association, Paul comes off as less cold and judgmental when basking in the love of his husband.

Hugh started using more of his counseling skills as the USS Discovery crew encountered increasingly traumatic situations. From Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) to Keyla Detmer (Emily Coutts), he was a reliable shoulder to cry on for anyone lucky enough to know him. Some fans argued that he spent so much time playing a supportive role for others that he didn’t get to carry his own storylines. But all that changed at the end of season 1.

Fans know Star Trek for logical debates, but these prove it's just as capable with heavy emotion.

Hugh Culber’s Unexpected Death

Star Trek: Discovery tackles serious topics with the same high level of energy as the franchise's reboot movies. It wasn’t afraid to drop a mutineer into a sea of rule-abiding Starfleet officers. It puts the USS Discovery crew at the center of various moral dilemmas to test their character. Even knowing this, however, didn’t prepare fans for the murder of Hugh at the hands of Ash Tyler (Shazad Latif) – let alone his resurrection later on. Hugh's was the first major character death on the show since Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) met a tragic end in the series premiere.

In season 1, episode 10, “Despite Yourself,” Hugh discovered the ugly truth about Ash just in time for the other man to snap his neck. The Klingon warrior lying dormant within Ash had taken over to conceal his presence, only to be exposed anyway in the following episode. Meanwhile, the lucidity stolen from Paul during his work with the mycelial network came back just in time for him to discover his husband’s dead body. That was the heartbreaking end to Hugh’s story…or so fans thought.

The Resurrection of Hugh Culber

Paul’s personal goal in Discovery season 1 revolved around the spore drive. He helped create and maintain it, and cultivated the space mushrooms needed to use it. Here’s where things get wacky in the way only a Star Trek TV show can achieve. While cradling Hugh’s dying body, the spore dust lingering on Paul pulled the other man into the mycelial network , rather than letting him pass on. It was a classic case of sci-fi science, but at least it meant Hugh could come back.

That's exactly what he did in season 2, episode 5, “Saints of Imperfection.” An away-mission turned retrieval attempt reunited Culber with his loved ones, and finally put him back in the land of the corporeal. He had been fighting off jahSepp – the multidimensional fungus of the mycelial network – after they identified him as a monster for killing their kind in confused self-defense. Now, it was time to pick his life back up and trying to make it fit him again. It went about as well as one would expect.

Hugh Culber and Resurrection Trauma

His rough time that only got worse as Hugh struggled with the aftermath of his own trauma . It turns out that fictional counselors are just as bad as real-life ones when it comes to taking care of their own mental health. At the same time, the USS Discovery had found a way to move on from Hugh's death by the time his resurrection threw a wrench in their process. Tracy Pollard (Raven Dauda) had taken over as the ship’s primary physician. Paul was trudging along without his better half. Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman) had even graduated from cadet to ensign in the command division.

Like Star Trek characters of old , Hugh found himself dealing with problems that offered no easy solutions. He struggled to find his place among people who felt like they’d outgrown him. To make matters worse, Hugh often found himself struggling to believe he’d actually made it back, reliving the trauma of his death and of being lost in the mycelial network. His romantic love for Paul and familial love for the crew eventually helped anchor him to reality. But it wasn’t until he made peace with Ash that he finally started to heal.

What Impact Did Hugh Culber’s Death Have on the Crew?

Hugh’s untimely “death” and subsequent resurrection shifted the dynamics of the USS Discovery crew. While he was lost to them, the crew no longer had someone to help them process their emotions in difficult situations. This forced them to learn how to tend to their own mental health. When Hugh came back, they re-adjusted around his presence, even through some awkward stumbling blocks.

Then, Star Trek: Discovery decided to test their new-found skills with the Red Angel storyline. In it, the United Federation of Planets was almost destroyed because of AI tech gone bad (a Star Trek classic) . And somehow, that wasn’t even the wildest thing to happen in season 2, which featured time-travel shenanigans and the reveal that Michael's mother was alive. Through it all, Hugh continued questioning his place on the ship. He even came close to trading in his white uniform for the classic blue of the USS Enterprise. But instead, he stuck around and ended up flying into the future along with his crew.

Hugh isn’t the first Star Trek character to experience the highs and lows of resurrection. Like Spock’s triumphant return in The Search for Spock , though, he needed time to get back into the swing of things. By the time Hugh found himself co-parenting a teenage Adira (Blu del Barrio), he’d left his post-resurrection blues behind. Something about becoming even more a family man got him out of his head and back into reality.

So, of course, Discovery had to give him something else to stress about. This time it’s a combination of lingering effects from coming back to life, and his season 5 Trill transformation . Now, Hugh Culber is trying to find the line between his logical mind and his increasingly spiritual heart. What does it mean? Is he overthinking it? Is he not thinking about it enough? Paul and Cleveland Booker (David Ajala) encourage him to lean into this newfound feeling after he talks about the peace it gives him. But this is Star Trek: Discovery . So, that path of thinking is just as likely to lead him somewhere wonderful as it is to somewhere unfortunate. Only future episodes can say for sure.

In the heart of Star Trek's multiverse lies a perplexing riddle: where is the real Gabriel Lorca?

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The Odan symbiont

Odan was a Trill symbiont in the 24th century . Odan was an accomplished ambassador for the United Federation of Planets and as of 2367 had been joined to at least three Trill hosts including, briefly, with a Human . ( TNG : " The Host ")

• 2.1 Background information
• 2.2 Apocrypha
• 2.3 External link

History [ ]

In 2337 , Odan was joined with a male host . In this year, he mediated a dispute between the Alphans and Betans of the Pelians , whose governments had been in a rocky relationship since their moons were colonized. He worked with Lathal Bine's aunt and Kalin Trose .

In 2367, Odan had joined with a different male host and publicly maintained the fiction that he was the previous host's son. He was tapped again to mediate a dispute with the Pelians when the Alphans developed an energy source which disadvantaged the Betans. The Federation sent the USS Enterprise -D to assist. It was hoped that he would be able to accomplish the same results this time and prevent a war between the two. During his efforts Odan refused transport to the surface and insisted on traveling by shuttlecraft . This led to an attack during which the host body was injured, necessitating the removal of Odan.

Like all Trill symbionts, Odan could not survive more than a few hours outside of a host. A Trill transport was within range and with a suitable host aboard but the Enterprise could not leave Peliar Zel, and the transport was forty hours away. To extend the life of the symbiont, William T. Riker volunteered to become a temporary host. Odan was transferred to his body successfully, although he then had to spend some time convincing the moons' ambassadors that he was still Odan despite his new appearance before negotiations could continue.

Ultimately Odan was successful in averting a war, but barely in time to prevent permanent harm to the incompatible body of its host, Riker; even before he was extracted, Odan rejected the offer of further immunosuppressants despite the damage he was suffering in Riker because the drugs would have damaged Riker's body. With negotiations complete Odan was removed and joined to become Kareel Odan .

The transfer of Odan had enormous repercussions. The two factions in the negotiations were initially skeptical of the explanation for Odan's change in appearance and negotiations almost never happened. At the same time, Odan and Doctor Beverly Crusher had begun a relationship prior to his host's injuries. The change in appearance proved professionally and personally difficult for Dr. Crusher; although she had a romantic encounter with Odan while the symbiont was in Riker's body, she broke it off after Odan was transferred into Kareel, as it was too complicated to be involved with someone when they could change bodies so easily.

Both of these reactions can be primarily attributed to the fact that the joined nature of the Trill was not widely known at the time. However, the extremely public and open display of such a surprising secret soon made the joined society of Trill common knowledge. ( TNG : " The Host ")

Appendices [ ]

Background information [ ].

Odan's male host was played by Franc Luz . Kareel, his new host, was played by Nicole Orth-Pallavicini .

In contrast to the Trill later shown in Star Trek , where the host and the symbiont appear to share consciousnesses, Odan appeared to exert more control over his hosts, as he regularly referred to Riker as a body without any real sign that Riker himself had much impact on Odan's mannerisms or thoughts. However, this could be accounted for by the fact that Riker is the only Human seen being used as a host for a symbiont, creating the possibility that Odan had to suppress Riker's personality more than he would have done in a Trill host in order to gain the necessary control to complete his mission.

Apocrypha [ ]

The difference between this symbiont and ones shown later was explained in the non-canon novel Forged in Fire , which explained that the ridged Trill such as Odan's hosts were the result of a strain of the Klingon augment virus that managed to infect a Trill colony through visiting Klingon traders. However, the Trill seemed not to be interested in working on methods of restoring the original Trill look, with this 'sub-group' having recently, at the time the novel was set, been re-accepted back into Trill society. The novel also revealed that Odan's disinclination to use transporters was in part because transporting was uncomfortable for symbionts and also part of a Trill policy to keep the symbiont's existence secret as the transporter scans would have picked it up; presumably, after the public events of the negotiations Odan participated in while in Riker's body, this policy became less relevant, hence accounting for the ease with which Jadzia Dax transported.

An earlier host of the Odan symbiont appears in Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Jill Sherwin 's The Lives of Dax short story "First Steps".

Crusher encountered Kareel Odan again in the comics story " A House Divided ", when she acts as an advisor on the Enterprise -D as it is transporting a Trill master criminal to a new, high-security prison.

External link [ ]

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

Screen Rant

Star trek makes enterprise’s doctor phlox species matter in discovery’s future.

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Star Trek: Enterprise Cast & Character Guide

5 star trek: discovery characters who left burnham’s ship (& who came back), star trek: discovery’s breen go too far beyond other enemy alien ships.

WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 6, "Whistlespeak".

• "Star Trek: Discovery season 5 uncovers the vital role of Denobulans in Starfleet's future with Dr. Kreel's involvement in the Progenitors' treasure."
• "Entry of Dr. Kreel continues the legacy of Enterprise's Dr. Phlox, highlighting the importance of the Denobulans in the Federation's history."
• "Dr. Kreel's name check in Star Trek: Discovery reaffirms the presence of Denobulans in the 24th century, bridging the gap between Enterprise and the future."

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 6, "Whistlespeak" reveals that Star Trek: Enterprise 's Denobulan species, popularized by Dr Phlox (John Billingsley), played a hugely important role in the future of Starfleet and the Federation. The latest clue to the Progenitors' treasure is located on the planet Halem'no, a pre-warp planet which has been given a subtle helping hand from the Denobulans. Discovery season 5, episode 6 , written by Kenneth Lin and Brandon Schultz, and directed by Chris Byrne, reveals that Denobulan scientist Dr. Hitoroshi Kreel was one of the five scientists who hid the Progenitors' treasure 800 years ago.

Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 6's revelations about the Progenitors' treasure and its link to the Denobulans is a welcome reminder of the species. Star Trek 's most notable Denobulan, Dr Phlox, was a hugely important figure in the 22nd century, serving as chief medical officer aboard the first version of the starship Enterprise . Phlox's adventures on the Enterprise NX-01 helped to establish the rules of the Federation that are still followed almost a millenia later in Discovery season 5. Discovery 's new Denobulan, Dr. Kreel, therefore, continues the legacy of Enterprise 's Phlox .

Star Trek: Enterprise introduced new faces to the prequel series set a century before the events of Star Trek: The Original Series.

Why It Matters Star Trek: Discovery’s Dr. Kreel Is Denobulan Like Enterprise’s Dr. Phlox

The Denobulans were one of several alien species introduced in Star Trek: Enterprise , and were popularized by the character of Phlox. Because Enterprise was canceled , and there were no Denobulan characters seen in Star Trek 's 24th century , there was a risk that the species may have faded into obscurity. Star Trek: Discovery 's Dr. Kreel is proof that the Denobulans were alive and well in the 24th century, and still played a vital role in the affairs of the United Federation of Planets. There is no better example of this than the Federation President's decision to recruit a Denobulan scientist for their top secret Progenitors mission.

Although Star Trek: Discovery season 5, episode 6, doesn't feature Dr. Kreel on screen, he's still an affirmation of Enterprise 's big additions to the canon of Star Trek aliens . The other alien scientists searching for the Progenitors' treasure were all members of iconic species who have played integral roles in shows like the Betazoids from Star Trek: The Next Generation and the Trills from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . It's fitting, therefore, that one of Star Trek: Enterprise 's Denobulans is also part of this vitally important research group.

Other Denobulans Besides Enterprise’s Dr. Phlox In Star Trek

Although sightings of the Denobulans are rare outside Star Trek: Enterprise , Doctors Phlox and Kreel aren't the only Denobulans who have appeared in the wider franchise . In Star Trek: Lower Decks season 2, episode 4, "Mugato, Gumato", two Denobulan researchers are attacked by a Mugato. In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2, episode 3, "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow", a Denobulan cadet accuses the Enterprise's transporter chief of stealing a ring, a dispute broken up by Lt. La'an Noonien Singh (Christina Chong).

Most notably, Lt. Barniss Frex (Eric Bauza) from Star Trek: Prodigy was the first commissioned Denobulan Starfleet officer depicted on screen. The unfortunate Denobulan became a victim of Prodigy 's Vau N'Akat villains and their Living Construct weapon when the crew of the USS Protostar visited the subspace relay station CR-721. However, Frex blamed the young Protostar crew for his misfortune when he was recovered by Admiral Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and the USS Dauntless. Hopefully, Star Trek: Discovery 's Denobulan scientist will lead to further appearances from Dr. Phlox's species in Star Trek 's future.

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

Star Trek: Discovery

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

Star Trek: Enterprise

Star Trek: Enterprise acts as a prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series, detailing the voyages of the original crew of the Starship Enterprise in the 22nd century, a hundred years before Captain Kirk commanded the ship. Enterprise was the sixth series in the Star Trek franchise overall, and the final series before a twelve-year hiatus until the premiere of Star Trek: Discovery in 2017. The series stars Scott Bakula as Captain Jonathan Archer, with an ensemble cast that includes John Billingsley, Jolene Blalock, Dominic Keating, Anthony Montgomery, Linda Park, and Connor Trinneer.

Star Trek: Lower Decks

"Star Trek: Lower Decks" focuses on the support crew serving on one of Starfleet's least important ships, the USS Cerritos, in 2380. Ensigns Mariner, Boimler, Rutherford and Tendi must keep up with their duties and their social lives, often while the ship is being rocked by a multitude of sci-fi anomalies. The ship's bridge crew includes Captain Carol Freeman, Commander Jack Ransom, Lieutenant Shaxs and Doctor T'Ana. This is the second animated spin-off in the franchise after 1973-74's "Star Trek: The Animated Series," but has a decidedly more adult tone and humor.

Star Trek: Prodigy

Star Trek: Prodigy is the first TV series in the Star Trek franchise marketed toward children, and one of the few animated series in the franchise. The story follows a group of young aliens who find a stolen Starfleet ship and use it to escape from the Tars Lamora prison colony where they are all held captive. Working together with the help of a holographic Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew), the new crew of the USS Protostar must find their way back to the Alpha Quadrant to warn the Federation of the deadly threat that is pursuing them.

• Star Trek: Discovery (2017)
• Star Trek: Enterprise (2001)