Whether humanoid, amorphous, furry, mutated, genetically enhanced, animal-like, parasitic, cyborg, or noncorporeal — extraterrestrials are fascinating, mysterious, andexciting characters in science-fiction moviesand shows. But there may be nospace opera franchisethat has presented a wider and more fascinating array of aliens thanStar Trek.
Its 13 movies, 12 series, and numerous games feature hundreds of alien species that are central to the action, with most of them displaying an initially hostile attitude toward humans. Not only are they technologically superior, but they also exhibit great abilities that render them formidable allies — or deadly adversaries.
These are 20 types of extraterrestrials encountered in the iconicTrekworld since 1966, and their distinctive, extraordinary abilities.
20Denobulans
Denobulansare cheerful, friendly, and polyamorous humanoids from the planet Denobula of the Denobula Triaxa system, in the Alpha Quadrant. They’re of a slightly heavier build than humans, with ridges on their foreheads, temples, chins, and backs, and remarkably elongated tongues. Their facial muscles are such that they can almost grin from ear to ear, as seen with Phlox, the Chief Medical Officer inStar Trek: Enterprise (ENT).
Star Trek: Enterprise
Boosted Immune System and Almost Always Awake
Denobulans live for hundreds of years and require very little sleep, which grants them optimal functionality; six days of hibernation per year are usually sufficient for them to recharge. When threatened, they have the ability to enlarge and puff up their faces and escape by climbing vertical surfaces in a lizard-like way. Not to mention their special immune system, which allows them to fight off parasites and nanoprobes.
19Benzites
Benzitesare a humanoid race from the planet Benzar in the Alpha Quadrant, with smooth blue or green skin, prominent nasal lobes and brows, and blood based on mercury and platinum. They wear pledge-stones when they’re married, but only reproduce outside their family units; as such,they often raise childrenthat aren’t biologically their own. Their species appears inENT,The Next Generation,Deep Space Nine, andLower Decks (LD).
Star Trek: Lower Decks
Blending in With Each Other
Benzites look alike so much that other races have a hard time distinguishing them from one another, which always comes in handy for those on the run: only Benzites are able to recognize each other. Additionally, they’re ultra-resistant to poison and other dangerous substances.
18The Jem’Hadar
The Jem’Hadarare genetically engineered,reptilian-like humanoid soldierswho were initially created by the Founders (Changelings) of the Gamma Quadrant to wage the Dominion War inDeep Space 9 (DS9). They work in groups under one leader and fiercely follow the motto “Victory Is Life,” pledging their loyalty to their death. Their Alpha Quadrant counterparts are more powerful and simply dubbed The Alphas.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genetically Bred Super Warriors
Adult Jem’Hadar don’t need sleep or nourishment, making them alert and fast-moving attackers at all times. They have superior vision, even in low visibility conditions, camouflage abilities, and are seven times more powerful than humans, not to mention being resistant to energy-based weapons.
17Klingons
First appearing inThe Original Series (TOS),Klingonsare dark-skinned humanoids with ridged foreheads from Qo’noS, in the Beta Quadrant, and look a little different in each show. Their dominant warrior culture, belligerent temper, and love for opera, wine, live worms, and grandiloquence are constant features, though. The franchise’sleading Klingon sinceTNGis the honorable and brooding Worf(Michael Dorn), who was raised by human parents and became a Starfleet officer.
Related:12 Surprising Facts About Star Trek: The Original Series
Any Klingon Day Is a Good Day to Die
Klingons live for over 150 years, and their super-strength is such that they can throw opponents across any room. They are also endowed with several extra organs that allow them to survive battle or combat wounds, namely twenty-three ribs, two livers, an eight-chambered heart, and three lungs.
16The Betazoid
TheBetazoidare from the planet Betazed, in the Alpha Quadrant. They look quasi-identical to humans, except for their large, black irises. Viewers can catch them inThe Next Generation (TNG),Voyager,DS9,LD, andDiscovery. Key Betazoid characters include Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis), a ship’s counselor who is part-human, and her exasperating, albeit well-meaning mother, Lwaxana (Majel Barrett, Roddenberry’s wife and “The First Lady” ofStar Trek), a prominent galactic ambassador.
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Psychic and Empathic Powers
The Betazoids have superior telepathic and empathic abilities, allowing them to either excel in diplomatic missions, thwart conflicts, provide comfort to distressed people — or prey on other races by reading their thoughts and manipulating their feelings.
15The Gorn
Featured inTOS,The Animated Series (TAS),ENT,LD,Discovery, andStrange New Worlds (SNG), theGornare mysterious and violent bipedal reptiliansfrom the Beta Quadrant. They have greenish rubbery skin, razor-sharp teeth, and claws, and are known to kidnap and use other races as incubators.
Star Trek: The Animated Series
star trek: strange new worlds
Powerful Mind-Controlling Lizards
Adults Gorn are ten times stronger than humans and use a mind-controlling virus to turn other races on each other. Their thick skin protects them from regular weapons, and their injured cells and limbs can regenerate in record time. Another ability is a high sense of smell and taste and a controlled release of pheromones.
14El-Aurians
Originally from El-Auria, a planet near the border of the Beta and Delta quadrants,El-Auriansare physically indistinguishable from humans and have been blending in their societies for a while, especially considering that they live longer than humans and have the same racial groups.
Wise Sages Who Bend Reality
El-Aurians live for hundreds of years and can manipulate reality beyond the space-sound continuum; as such, they are first to detect time-travel activity and other fluctuations and disruptions. They also have some telepathic abilities, which they can use to con people, but mostly to impart wisdom — as is the case of the special relationship between Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg), the ship’s barkeep inTNG, and Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart).
13Greek Gods
In theTOSepisodeWho Mourns for Adonais, theEnterprise’s landing party meets the arrogant Apollo (Michael Forest), who claims he is from a race of humanoids known to humans asthe Greek gods. Scanning his body shows that he has full human physiology, except for one unidentified internal organ.
Powers of a God Fueled by Worship
Apollo is immortal, can grow to a gigantic size, and can manipulate the space around him by creating and destroying physical elements like buildings, plants, and the weather in a split second. His race’s powers are fueled by other people’s acknowledgment and worship, hence thelegends of the Greek godsamong ancient civilizations and their disappearance today.
Vulcansare green-blooded humanoids with pointy ears and eyebrows, from the Alpha and Beta quadrants. They practice restraint and show very little emotion, preferring to rely on logic and science. The most famous examples in the franchise are Tuvok (Tim Russ), the half-human Spock (Leonard Nimoy), and T’Pol (Jolene Blalock).
“T’Pol is the voice of reason; she’s the voice of experience; she’s the voice of responsibility. It’s been challenging for me [to play a stoic Vulcan] because I’m very expressive. You can say everything that you need to say in the eyes, because language itself is so limiting.”
–Blalock to Trek Today
Vulcan Mind Melds and More
Vulcans live over 200 years and have greater endurance and physical strength than humans, as well as inner eyelids that protect their eyes from bright light. In close combat, their superior nerve-pinch technique can knock foes unconscious for hours. They can also display advanced, long-distance telepathic abilities, as well as the ability to mind meld by touching another person’s face and sharing their thoughts.
11Romulans
Romulansare cousins to the Vulcans from the planet Romulus, in the Beta Quadrant; they look a lot like Vulcans, but have also been depicted with a V-shaped forehead ridge. They control an advanced militaristic, interstellar empire, and are particularly hostile to species that don’t fall into their grip.
InDiscovery (DSC), Vulcans and Romulans reunite on Vulcan, renamed Ni’Var. As forPicard, it explores two powerful Romulan factions: the honorable Qowat Milat order of warrior nuns, and the violent Zhat Vash cult that abhors synthetic lifeforms.
star trek discovery
Strong, Telepathic Cousins to the Vulcans
Like Vulcans, Romulans have superior strength and live over two centuries, but they mostly use their semi-dormant telepathic abilities to deceive and manipulate others. They also have a much faster heart rate than humans (240 beats per minute), as well as greater muscle and bone density, rendering them formidable opponents in close combat.
