Star Trek is a long-running sci-fi franchise which has been distributing new productions nearly non-stop since its inception in 1966. Every Star Trek movie and show is supposed to occur within the same fictional universe, so it follows that they should all abide by the same basic in-universe rules and premises. 60 years of ongoing creation of episodes and films is sure to have employed a multitude of screenwriters, directors, producers, and editors. With so many contributors, inconsistencies are inevitable and for such an expansive franchise, Star Trek still has impressively few.
One cause of such retcons is that showrunners are bound to disagree with each other at times. Other backtracking results from simple human error. In contrast, a few retcons have been thoughtfully planned and placed in the show’s projects, adding meaning and depth to prior stories without contradicting any past events. This type of retcon is generally appreciated by fans rather than being lamented like most others.
Some of Star Trek’s retcons are disruptive only to its most obsessive followers, while others are blatant enough to be noted by the general public. From resurrections of the dead to alien overhauls, here are 10 of Star Trek’s biggest retcons ever.
10 Captain Benjamin Sisko’s Father
Is Captain Sisko’s Father Dead or Alive?
Benjamin Sisko commands a far-flung outpost in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Promoted to the rank of Captain in the Season 3 episode “The Adversary,” Sisko has become a beloved character who is now known as one of the best Starfleet captains ever. An interesting part of Sisko’s backstory is his relationship with his father, Joseph. Early in the series, he fondly speaks of Jospeh in the past tense, and it is implied that Jospeh is dead. A later retcon proves this not to be the case.
The Writers Decided an Appearance by Sisko’s Father Would Boost the Story
In early episodes, Sisko’s backstory is laced with a tragic tone. In the Season 2 episode “The Alternate,” Sisko states: “When my father became ill, I can remember how small and weak he looked lying there in the bed…….In the end, I realized that there was nothing that he could do, and nothing that I could do to help him.”
In the Season 6 episode “Far Beyond the Stars,” Captain Sisko’s father decides to leave Earth for the first time to visit his son on Deep Space 9. Viewers were likely relieved and amused to learn that Sisko’s father is a riotous Creole cook, spouting lines such as, “Point me in the direction of a party and a pretty girl, and I’ll show you how good I feel!” He adds dimension and conflict by clinging tightly to his earthly New Orleans heritage, eschewing modern technology, and distrusting a blood test while the crew is looking for shapeshifters in “Homefront.”
While this retcon is rather obvious, it was an overall beneficial choice for the plot. Seeing Joseph cling to his customs, such as scratch-cooking when food can be automatically synthesized in Trek’s futuristic universe, is a compelling struggle and sets up an intriguing and relatable conundrum for Ben Sisko while offering a glimpse into his origins.
9 Dr. Beverly Crusher’s Secret Son
How Old Was Beverly Crusher When She Gave Birth to Her Son With Captain Picard?
Dr. Beverly Crusher is the doctor on Enterprise-D in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Throughout the series, she and Captain Picard have a mutual attraction on which they never act, partially because they seem to feel guilty about the death of Crusher’s husband who happened to be Picard’s best friend. In the show Star Trek: Picard, viewers learn that Dr. Crusher has been living in seclusion for the past 20 years, cutting off all contact with her former crew mates.
In Season 3, she makes her big return to reveal that she got pregnant the last time she saw Picard. She now has a second son, along with her first son Wesley who falls among the ranks of genius kids portrayed onscreen.
The Explanation for Beverly Crusher’s Secret Pregnancy Is Surprisingly Simple
At first glance, Crusher’s stunning news of a secret baby seems unrealistic based on the timeline. The episode “The Conondrum” reveals she was born in 2324, making her 55 years old during the events of Nemesis, the final movie for The Next Generation ensemble. Her lines in Picard reveal that her son was born sometime after that.
However, fans must not forget that in another movie, Insurrection, the crew visits a rejuvenating planet known as Ba’ku. It is plausible that Crusher’s jaunt to the planet extended her fertility, making the surprising twist possible. This retcon works because it is not contradictory, and makes a nice Easter egg for devoted detail-finding fans.
8 The Eugenics Wars
Were the Star Trek Eugenics Wars the Same as World War III?
The Eugenics Wars are first referenced in the Star Trek episode “Space Seed.” It establishes that the Eugenics Wars occurred in the 1990s when genetically modified superhumans nearly succeeded at taking over the planet, when Captain Kirk’s crew finds a lost ship containing a small group of these selectively bred people who have been frozen in time. They are led by Khan Noonien Singh, who they drop off on an uncolonized planet, Ceti Alpha V, to see what they can make of it. This sets up the premise for the 1982 film The Wrath of Khan, a must-watch for lovers of classic adventure films.
The Dates of Star Trek’s Wars Were Retconned to Keep Them in the Future
The ’90s would have seemed like a futuristic and far-off time to the Star Trek’s creators as they were writing episodes in the 1960s. At that point, no one knew that Star Trek would become a long-lasting franchise, so they didn’t think to push events far enough in the future to keep them ahead of current times. By the time new shows and films were made, the ’90s were no longer in the distant future so the timeline needed to be moved.
At times, World War III and the Eugenics Wars are spoken about as two separate events, while at other times, various characters seem to imply they are the same thing. A war called “The Second Civil War” is also brought into the mix. Captain Pike of Strange New Worlds offers perhaps the best explanation, describing the various wars as an ongoing cascade of conflicts which were referred to by different names as they grew.
Ultimately, while the retcons about the timeline of Earth’s wars are a bit annoying, they do not significantly detract from the plot or conflict with Star Trek’s overall themes. The key takeaway is that Earth devolved into chaos, nearly destroying its entire planet and species with nuclear attacks, before making contact with an alien species, the Vulcans, in 2063 and realizing they must work peacefully together.
7 Lieutenant Geordi LaForge Becomes an Engineer
Why Was Geordi’s Uniform Changed from Red to Green?
Geordi LaForge is well known as the charismatic and quotable chief of engineering aboard the Enterprise-D in Star Trek: The Next Generation. He is portrayed by the charismatic LeVar Burton, who was originally given the role of a generic red-shirted bridge officer who mans the helm. Season 1 makes no mention of his engineering expertise, but by Season 2 he is wearing the green uniform reserved for the operations, security, and engineering divisions, and running the ship’s engine room.
Geordi Was Possibly Promoted Because the Chief Engineer Was Fired Over a Salacious Star Trek Scandal
Season 1 of The Next Generation features various characters leading the engineering department, including Sarah MacDougal, Mr. Singh, and perhaps most notably, Chief Argyle. While it’s possible the show was simply testing different engineers and never found the perfect fit in the first season, a rumor alleges that Biff Yeager, the actor who played Chief Engineer Argyle, was fired from the show. He supposedly solicited fan mail supporting his character, some of which arrived to the studio prior to the airing of his episodes.
Spreading spoilers is sure to be frowned on by any studio, especially in an era where the absence of social media meant television surprises could be tightly held. Regardless of the reason, the promotion of Geordi LaForge was well-suited. With his ability to pick up minute details invisible to other humans using his superior eyesight, it makes sense that he would excel in engineering.
6 Changes to the Borg
Where Did the Borg Queen Come From?
The Borg is a villain entity which is introduced in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Q Who” and are expounded upon in the two-part episode “The Best of Both Worlds.” The original Borg group is a mind-twisting, almost incomprehensible opponent because it contains trillions of drones who are physically separate, but connected as one through a singular hive-mind identity. They work towards a unified goal: to assimilate any intelligent life form they encounter into their composite. Because members are not quite dead, but certainly not alive in a person-like way, Trek episodes featuring the Borg are disconcerting in the same way great zombie movies are.
The Queen’s Human-Like Behavior and Motivations Detract From the Borg’s Fear Factor
The 1996 film First Contact introduces the Borg Queen. Unlike the other Borg who behave like automatons and speak with an artificial, electronic quality, the Queen speaks like a human, carries a special vendetta for Captain Picard, and behaves more like a stereotypically sinister movie villain than the disturbingly robotic Borg of past productions.
This drastic change to the Borg collective is one of the more disliked retcons of Star Trek. The Next Generation, in which fans first meet the Borg, has a reputation for avoiding overt horror, and relies mainly on psychological factors to create fear and suspense. Dark episodes are effective because of their subtleties, which is why the introduction of a grotesque-looking “monster queen” who menacingly gyrates and gives loquacious speeches was an unnecessary addition.
5 Several Star Trek Characters’ Names Have Changed
Is Captain Kirk’s Middle Name Tiberius?
One Star Trek retcon is that a few of the characters are now referred to by different names than they previously were. In Season 1 of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Dr. Crusher calls her old friend, Captain Jean-Luc Picard, “Jean” and Counselor Deanna Troi calls her former fiancé, William T. Riker, “Bill.” After Season 1, these nicknames are never used again.
More noticeably, Captain Kirk’s middle name has been changed. The name “James R. Kirk” appears on a gravestone erected by possessed crew member Gary Mitchell who is trying to kill him. The later episode “Bem” reveals his middle name to be Tiberius, and a film explains the name comes from his grandfather.
The Writers Decided Other Names Were a Better Fit
In the cases of Riker and Picard, the writers most likely decided their nicknames didn’t sound very good. “Bill” is too obvious and old-fashioned, and “Jean” doesn’t have the same ring to it as Jean-Luc. As for Captain Kirk, the writers probably didn’t consider his middle name important, so they chose a random initial. Later, they decide to choose a specific middle name that helps illuminate his backstory. The name changes, while noticeable, are forgivable because the new names fit better and the alterations do not disturb the story. No other name than “James Tiberius Kirk” would fit the iconic original captain.
4 The Origins of 10 Forward
What Does 10 Forward Stand For in Star Trek?
10 Forward is a key feature of the ship’s atmosphere in The Next Generation, and also serves as a crucial dot connector in Star Trek: Picard . It was first introduced as the public eating area on Enterprise-D where social meals and celebrations can be held. Crew members can also receive advice at the bar from a mysterious mixologist named Guinan. Guinan is played by the wisened Whoopi Goldberg, whose sage and enlightened aura unsurprisingly qualified her to once have a role as God. Guinan’s domain is named for its location at the front of Enterprise’s tenth deck.
Not All Fans Love the 10 Forward Retcon in Star Trek: Picard
Guinan is well known to be a time traveler, a fact which allowed the 2020 series about the beloved Captain Jean-Luc Picard to retcon 10 Forward’s origins. The episode “Seventeen Seconds” features present-day Guinan running a bar in Los Angeles by the same name as her former eatery aboard Enterprise-D. But the show later displays Picard, who is now an admiral, time-traveling to meet a young version of Guinan. Young Guinan is running the same L.A. bar, suggesting that the celestial gathering place with which TNG fans are so familiar is actually named after this earthly bar which came first.
This retcon simply doesn’t make much sense, because how could Guinan have influenced the makers of Enterprise-D to build the café in the perfect spot to be named after her former haunt? This retcon was an attempt at a charming full-circle moment which didn’t quite meet the mark.
3 Transformation of the Trills
Why Does Jadzia Dax Have Spots on Her Face?
A glaring retcon in Star Trek is the transformation of the Trill species, which became all the more noticeable when one of its members, the vibrant Jadzia Dax of Deep Space Nine, became one of the franchise’s most popular characters and earned a place among the ranks of famous sci-fi beauties. Changes have been made not just to the Trill outer appearance, but also to the rules of how they operate and interact.
The Next Generation introduces the Trill as a humanoid species with ridged heads who have the ability to host a slug-like creature known as a symbiont. It is mentioned in the episode “The Host” that transporting a Trill via beaming will kill the symbiont it is carrying. In the following series, Deep Space Nine, a new type of Trill appears. The new Trill have traded their ridges for a spattering of giraffe-like spots, are able to transport, and exist as a combination of the host and symbiont’s personalities rather than being a singular consciousness controlled by the worm.
The Trill of Deep Space Nine Should Have Been Introduced As a New Species
Instead of trying to retcon and reconfigure the Trill, a better plan would have been to introduce the new version as their own Fans must remember that in the early 1990s when production on Deep Space Nine began, the television landscape was very different. There was no ability to instantly binge past episodes via streaming, so retcons were often able to go unnoticed by all but the most devoted Trek junkies.
Despite being rather obvious, the new version of the Trill works because it makes more sense. The original form left too many unanswered questions, such as what happens to a Trill when it becomes host to a symbiont. Does its personality and consciousness permanently die until removal, and if so, why is anyone willing to become a host?
2 The Klingon Redesign
Why Do the Klingons Look Different in Star Trek: Discovery?
The Klingon are arguably the most popular of Star Trek’s aliens. They are introduced in the episode “Errand of Mercy” of the original series, and they feature prominently throughout the franchise’s subsequent movies and shows. These original Klingons look very similar to humans, with thick raised eyebrows being their most prominent “alien” feature.
The second Star Trek series, which prominently features a Klingon named Worf as the chief of security, shows the Klingons with their original eyebrows and enhanced, ridged heads. Star Trek: Discovery is when the Klingons are completely overhauled, featuring much darker skin and a turtle-like appearance. The new Klingons of Discovery are also bald and eyebrow-less; a giant change considering their eyebrows were formerly their most distinctive feature.
Discovery’s Klingon Upgrade Goes Too Far
The second iteration of the Klingons, as seen on Lieutenant Worf, artistically takes advantage of the expanded budget and cosmetic technology available to the makers of The Next Generation, while retaining the spirit of their original look. However, Discovery makes the Klingons look like a completely new species. The makeup job stacks up well with other great cinematic special effects jobs, but it makes the Klingons fully unrecognizable from their predecessors. This redesign ultimately comes across as “playing” with the budget and adds a somewhat distracting flashiness to the film’s aesthetic.
1 Captain Pike Sees His Future
Why Did Spock Get Court-Martialed, and What Happens to Captain Pike in the Future?
All fans of the OG Star Trek will remember when Spock is court-martialed in “The Menagerie” after defying Starfleet in order to illegally return Captain Pike to the planet Talos IV. Pike has been injured in a horrible accident and Talos IV, a planet with magic-like powers, is the only place Pike can be comfortable rather than living in misery for the rest of his days.
Captain Pike Seeing His Future is the Best Star Trek Retcon of All Time
Captain Pike’s glimpse of his future in the Strange New Worlds episode “Through the Valley of the Shadows” is sure to give viewers a chill. Trek connoisseurs already knew that Spock risked his life out of loyalty to his former captain, but seeing new footage of the events prior to Pike’s accident playing out adds a new depth to Spock’s actions as well a new layer to Captain Pike’s integrity.
In the horrifying psychic vision, Captain Pike watches his own face being melted off by radiation. The choice to still go through with his heroic act of putting himself in harm’s way to rescue cadets during a catastrophe on a training vessel hits harder after seeing this new revelation.