Trek Life

Tattoos and original body art that celebrates films, TV, anime comic book characters, video games, and even Internet memes.

Pop Culture: Inked for Life

Geeky

For years, Star Trek fans were labeled the nerdiest of all the nerds. As a result, Trekkies, aka Trekkers, have bonded together into a unique community. One of the best ways to let people know that you’re down with Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock is to get a Star Trek tattoo. Trekkie tattoos tend to feature a few of the same elements - from the communication badge to the Enterprise to the classic “live long and prosper” Vulcan hand gesture. But some of these tattoos break the mold all together, finding creative ways to elevate the art of the Star Trek&nbsp;tattoo. If you haven’t guessed yet, we’ve included some of our favorite Trekkie ink on this list of Star Trek tattoos.No matter which timeline you're in, Star Trek tattoo designs are always cool. And no matter how many times we see the Enterprise inked across someone’s body, we’re always amazed by the devotion and enthusiasm of the fans sporting their favorite starship. Whether the tattoo is flash, surreal, new school, or dot work, we’re on board with nerds getting Star Trek tattoos. If you’re a Trekkie and you’re thinking about getting a tattoo, take a look at these awesome Star Trek tattoos to get some ideas about what kind of ink you want on your body. Whatever you finally get, we’re sure it’ll be Federation approved. Vote up your favorite Star Trek tattoo, and if you have a cool Trekkie tattoo, tell us about it in the comments.

33 Star Trek Tattoos That Go Beyond the Final Frontier

General

Live Long &amp; Tweet

Star Trek Tattoo Ideas | List of Trekkie Tattoos

Jacob Shelton

Star Trek

Even fluent Klingon speakers don't know everything about Star Trek: The Original Series. You might know the title sequence narration by heart but did you know that the theme song has official lyrics? Or that the words “Beam me up, Scotty” are never actually said on the show?These history of&nbsp;Star Trek: The Original Series is riddled with myths and misunderstandings. But the show has a rich history including a&nbsp;small, but significant role in the Civil Rights movement, and struggle to&nbsp;make it onto the air,&nbsp;and a defining role in building the foundation for modern fandom.Even if The Original Series isn’t your favorite Star Trek, or even if sci-fi isn't your thing, there’s no denying that Star Trek was and remains one of the most important and groundbreaking shows in television history. Its cast, crew, and creator were committed to boldy going where no one had gone before. By doing so, they have left a lasting impact on the galaxy.So grab some synthale or a cup of&nbsp;tea, Earl Grey, hot, and check out these Star Trek facts.&nbsp;

16 Surprising Behind-The-Scenes Facts About The Original Star Trek

16 Surprising Facts About Star Trek: TOS You've Never Heard

Tamar Altebarmakian

When one thinks of Star Trek, one thinks of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/most-interesting-star-trek-characters" target="_blank">noble human and alien characters</a> who populate Starfleet, or the nefarious mortal villains like Khan, Kruge, and Nero. But one of the most enduring elements of Star Trek lore is the recurring theme of how power affects the personality. Trek history is filled with characters who possess immense strength, that are capable of bending time and space itself, and see humanity as mere playthings in the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/luckiest-star-trek-characters/jonathan-kantor" target="_blank">miasma of galactic chaos</a>. Beings like Trelane, Q, the Prophets, and the Traveler consider humanity a fascinating science project or, at worst, an active nuisance. Some beings, like the Organians, try to use their immense power to prevent bloodshed, while others are far more capricious and irresponsible. With all those incredibly powerful characters inhabiting the Trek universe, one must ask: who is the most powerful Star Trek character?

The Most Powerful 'Star Trek' Characters

Dave Schilling

TV Episodes

Star Trek has a rich history of devoted fans, and the franchise wouldn't exist as it does today were it not for them. It was the fan's love for the characters of the original series that launched conventions and kept the hope alive until Star Trek: The Next Generation brought the franchise back for a whole new era of fans. Of course, the movies didn't hurt, but it's likely Star Trek would have ended entirely had it not been for the fans.Still, the franchise can be challenging to break into. Should a new viewer start at the very beginning, or would it be better to pick up somewhere in the middle? Doing so would expose someone to better episodes, as the pilot episodes haven't always brought people back for more. Most of the series needed some time to build up an audience, and plenty of exceptional episodes fell in various places throughout the franchise, many of which would work <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/tv-episodes-better-as-pilot/jacob-bryant">better as a pilot</a>.Bringing someone onto the franchise can be difficult and should be handled carefully. Show someone a crummy episode, and they won't be interested in returning for more. This list features some of the best Star Trek one-off episodes that perfectly depict <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/star-trek-starfleet-facts/jonathan-kantor">Starfleet</a> and its people. Whether you're a fan of Captain Kirk, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/star-trek-captain-picard-facts/jonathan-kantor">Picard</a>, or any of the others, you should probably put down that pride and show your friend one of these great episodes to get them into the franchise.

15 'Star Trek' Episodes That Sell The Series To Newcomers Better Than The Pilot

'Star Trek' Episodes For The Trek-Curious

Jonathan H. Kantor

What better way to celebrate your favorite characters than to draw them over and over and over again?

Smash-Ups & Fan Art

Star Wars

There couldn&#39;t possibly be any Star Wars/Star Trek crossover fan art, right? You&#39;ve got to pick a side - after all, it&#39;s the greatest battle in the galaxy and the ultimate in nerd sci-fi&nbsp;controversy! It might even be the real star WAR. Which is better Star Wars or Star Trek? Well, we&#39;re not here to decide that decades-old question; we&#39;re here to bring those worlds together! There&#39;s all kinds of Star Wars Star Trek mashup fan art if you scour the internet hard enough.

This is the magical art in the strange world of&nbsp;Star Wars and Star Trek crossover. This is&nbsp;Star Wars&nbsp;fan art&nbsp;combined with&nbsp;Star Trek fan art for the ultimate science fiction, intergalactic nerdery. A world where a galaxy long, long ago isn&#39;t so far, far away. This art allows you to live long and prosper and use the Force at the same time. It takes place in a reality where Han Solo and Captain Kirk can fight over Princess Leia and maybe Spock is a Jedi...

Below you&#39;ll find the best Star Trek Star Wars crossover fan art and links to the most talented artists and devoted fans throughout the galaxy. Vote up the most amazing mashups and be sure to live long and use the Force!

The Most Awesome Star Wars/Star Trek Crossover Fan Art

Star Wars Star Trek Crossover Fan Art, Ranked Best to Worst

Coy Jandreau

Sci-Fi

Fans of Star Trek&nbsp;have a divisive relationship with the holodeck. On the one hand, it&#39;s a device that lets you essentially tell whatever story you want. Unfortunately, given that the Star Trek holodeck was full of fake characters, the danger and story tension often felt manufactured when it was used to put the entire ship on the line. Much like <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/store-bought-items-used-as-star-trek-props/jacob-shelton" target="_blank">Star Trek&#39;s silliest props</a>, the worst holodeck episodes were often constrained by the production budget - but there were also plenty of contrived stories&nbsp;and goofy ideas that made fans cringe. 

That&#39;s not to say there aren&#39;t good holodeck episodes, but for every &quot;Our Man Bashir&quot; there&#39;s a &quot;Fistful of Datas&quot; just around the corner. As the series continued, the writers were forced to make holodeck episodes with crazier concepts to keep them fresh.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-star-trek-enterprise-episodes/reference" target="_blank">Star Trek: Enterprise</a> promised to do away with them... until a series finale that managed to kill Star Trek on television for more than a decade. If audiences never see another holodeck episode, it&#39;ll be too soon. Vote up the holodeck horror stories that most derailed the show.

Captain Janeway Lives A Romance Novel

The Worst Star Trek Holodeck Episodes

TV Episode

Aaron Edwards

Costuming & Props

With numerous series that have informed not only our pop culture but also who we are as people,&nbsp;Star Trek&nbsp;may be considered one of the most influential franchises of the 20th century - but it&#39;s never had a large budget.

The original series was filmed&nbsp;on a shoestring, so whenever a new piece of tech was needed, it was usually up to the Star Trek props department to make something out of nothing.&nbsp;That inventive nature continued into the 1980s and &#39;90s with Star Trek TNG, as well as for the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ex-astris-scientia.org/inconsistencies/present-day-devices.htm" target="_blank">props and the equipment</a> used on DS9. The crew behind Star Trek has always tried to keep costs low, and that means building props out of everything from children&rsquo;s toys to household items. In many instances, the items used on the show have been rearranged, repainted, and altered to look like they fit in with life in the future, but a few props were just used wholesale without any changes.&nbsp;

Whether you&rsquo;re interested in the ingenuity of the Star Trek production staff, or you&#39;re trying to make your own medical scanner for the next convention, we&rsquo;ve got you covered.&nbsp;

15 Cheap, Store-Bought Items Used As 'Star Trek' Props

15 Cheap, Store-Bought Items That Were Used As 'Star Trek' Props

Star Trek (2009)

If Jean-Luc Picard calls someone&nbsp;&quot;devious and amoral and unreliable and irresponsible and...definitely not to be trusted&quot; then it's probably true. In the case of Q, a godlike being that's all at once annoying, all-powerful, and strangely childish, just because Captain Picard doesn't like him doesn't mean he's not one of the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/most-interesting-star-trek-characters" target="_blank">best characters in the Star Trek Universe</a>.Initially a character that put Picard and the entire Enterprise crew on trial to prove that humanity should be destroyed, Q eventually became a recurring character that was known for his playful - but still antagonistic - relationship with the Captain. In the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-star-trek-the-next-generation-episodes/reference" target="_blank">best&nbsp;Star Trek&nbsp;episodes</a> with Q, the character, portrayed by John de Lancie, represents everything great about the writing of&nbsp;Star Trek. Q is both a foil for Picard and his crew, but also an asset. He's a teacher, thanks to his undending knowledge of the universe, but he's also a creature that enjoys creating havoc. Simply put, Q is complex as hell, and that's why we love him.Since some of the most memorable episodes of&nbsp;Star Trek&nbsp;feature Q, we've decided to break down every one of Q's appearances&nbsp;so we can find out which is the best. So sit back, strap in, and get ready to enter the final frontier, because it's time to rank the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-star-trek-series-and-movies/aaron-edwards?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">best Star Trek</a> Q episodes.&nbsp;

The Best Q Episodes of 'Star Trek

The Best Q Star Trek Episodes, Ranked By Fans

Ranker TV

Patrick Stewart

Captain Jean-Luc Picard is not a man of few words. He&#39;s prone to grandiose speeches about morality, ethics, and the nature of humanity. To put it bluntly, this dude&nbsp;loves to hear himself talk. But sometimes, the situations the Enterprise-D&nbsp;finds itself in are so dangerous that it requires brevity and stern command. That&#39;s when Captain Picard unleashes his ultimate rhetorical tool - three little words that Picard (and an evil Picard clone)&nbsp;uttered 77 times over the course of the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/star-trek-episodes-directed-by-cast-members/ranker-tv" target="_blank">Star Trek</a>: The Next Generation television series: &quot;Make it so.&quot;

From main cast members like Commander Riker (aka &quot;Number One&quot;), Lieutenant Commander Data,&nbsp;and Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge&nbsp;to guest stars we never see again, a variety of characters are told to &quot;make it so&quot; in the seven seasons of TNG. There&#39;s even an episode in which Picard tells someone to make it so five&nbsp;times in the span of an&nbsp;hour!

How well they made it so is up for debate. Sometimes, the orders are carried out perfectly, and all is well on the Enterprise. Other times, the making it so is totally bungled - or&nbsp;worse, causes an inadvertent calamity on board the ship. Vote up all the times Picard&#39;s trademark order was followed properly.

Every Time Picard Said 'Make It So,' Ranked By How Well They Made It So

The Borg love to go around saying &quot;Resistance is futile&quot; but so is our laughter at their stiff walking and bad skin care regimen. Though to be fair, their cube ships are pretty cool looking. Here are some memes that prove the Borg are more silly than scary. Be sure to vote up your favorites.&nbsp;

16 Memes That Prove The Borg Are Star Trek's Goofiest Villains

Mark Rennie

If there's one thing the&nbsp;Star Trek&nbsp;franchise is well known for, it's the parallel universe that has existed since the Original Series broadcast an episode called &quot;Mirror, Mirror&quot; back in 1967. That episode established the existence of a Mirror Universe, which consists of a reality in which Starfleet never rose, but was replaced by the Terran Empire. Over the course of the numerous series set within the&nbsp;Star Trek&nbsp;universe, that Mirror Universe has been explored, which means it has a history as rich and long as that of the Prime Universe.Almost <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-star-trek-series-and-movies/aaron-edwards" target="_blank">every series</a> has delved into the Mirror Universe at one time or another, but not every episode from that alternate reality is necessarily the best. Depending on who is in the episode, what happens, and how it relates to what's going on in that series' normal continuity says a lot about what makes those episodes work. We don't have a magic mirror to tell us which episodes are the best, and that's where you come in. Take a moment to look through the list and vote up your absolute favorite. Was it the first one ever made, or a more recent foray into the parallel universe as seen on&nbsp;Star Trek: Discovery? Only your votes can decide, so vote up the best Mirror Universe episodes below!

The Best Mirror Universe Episodes in the Star Trek Series

The Best Star Trek Mirror Universe Episodes Of All Time, Ranked

When Star Trek premiered on NBC in 1966, it stood out among&nbsp;the other shows on broadcast TV. It was bright, colorful, exciting, and above all, deeply optimistic about the future of humanity. That was by design. Creator Gene Roddenberry set out to imagine a world where human beings had not only taken their place in the stars, but also evolved beyond hatred - a message that only got louder as the franchise expanded in the 1990s.

But as with all major <a href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/5-star-movie-franchises" target="_blank">franchises</a>, Star Trek has had to evolve to remain relevant into the 21st century. From Star Trek: The Next Generation to Star Trek: Enterprise and into Discovery and Picard, Roddenberry&#39;s creation has become more mature, more action-packed, and in many cases, darker than it was in the &#39;60s. Characters use four-letter words! On Star Trek!

Journey with us into the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-star-trek-series-and-movies/aaron-edwards" target="_blank">Final Frontier</a>, as we figure out how Star Trek has evolved from a thoughtful&nbsp;morality play about a future utopia&nbsp;into the gritty, dystopian action drama it is now.

The Evolution Of 'Picard' And 'Star Trek' Out Of Utopia And Into Darkness

Total Nerd

The heart of the original Star Trek show was the friendship between Spock, Doctor Leonard &quot;Bones&quot; McCoy, and Spock. While Kirk was undoubtedly <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/movie-protagonists-who-arent-the-main-character/zack-howe?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">the main character</a> and had different friendships with both men, there was something about the Spock and McCoy relationship that made them come across like a wonderful, bickering couple who had been married for decades. They were constantly throwing shade at each other, but below it all was a deep well of respect and admiration,&nbsp;even if neither of them would admit it.Spock and McCoy's&nbsp;friendship lasted across 79 episodes, six movies, an animated series, and more novels then you even knew existed. Spock's unapologetic logic and McCoy's passionate idealism both influenced Kirk, helping him weigh&nbsp;options during crisis situations. But even when Kirk wasn't around, McCoy and Spock made a great duo that could save the Enterprise any week.

Times Spock and McCoy Were Basically an Old Married Couple

Spock and Bones McCoy Married Moments

Since first hitting the airwaves in 1966,&nbsp;Star Trek&nbsp;has become a massive media franchise that encompasses several spinoff series, comic books, novels, games, movies, and hundreds of well-written and beautifully acted characters. In the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-star-trek-mirror-universe-episodes/ranker-tv" target="_blank">Star Trek</a>&nbsp;universe, a character is either lucky or they&#39;re not, and you really don&#39;t want to be caught wearing a red shirt on the job.&nbsp;

The main cast of any series could be considered lucky, but when you think about it, they end up going through a lot. Picard was turned into a Borg, and Spock has undergone several life-altering events - from perishing to save his crew, to being resurrected inside the mind of Dr. McCoy, and then disappearing from his universe altogether to live out his remaining years in&nbsp;an alternate timeline. Clearly, if you want to survive in this galaxy, you&#39;re going to need a profound amount of luck.

This list highlights the characters from&nbsp;Star Trek&nbsp;whose luck outshines the rest of the cast. A specific lucky event is noted for each, but it&#39;s up to the readers to determine who is the luckiest of them all. Check out the list below, and don&#39;t forget to vote up your favorite to see who wins the title of luckiest person to ever go boldly in the&nbsp;Star Trek&nbsp;universe.

The Luckiest Characters In The ‘Star Trek’ Franchise

Fictional Character

The Luckiest Characters In The ‘Star Trek’ Franchise, Ranked By How Lucky They Are

Star Trek&nbsp;is a franchise&nbsp;that arguably&nbsp;exists due to fan involvement. After the original series was canceled, fans got together to form conventions, which proved the viability of the franchise (and its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/wardrobe-secrets-from-stark-trek/hannah-collins" target="_blank">costumes</a>).&nbsp;An animated series soon followed, and before long,&nbsp;Star Trek: The Next Generation&nbsp;came around to completely revamp the franchise for... well, the next generation.

From there, the franchise expanded to add more television series.&nbsp;Star Trek&nbsp;is here to stay, and because it&#39;s been on since the 1960s, it&#39;s had its fair share of actors taking part. Many of these actors have become fan favorites - but how much do you really know about&nbsp;William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Patrick Stewart, Nichelle Nichols, Wil Wheaton, LeVar Burton, and all the rest?

This list highlights some of the more fascinating stories about everyone&#39;s favorite&nbsp;Star Trek&nbsp;actors.

Things We Learned About Our Favorite 'Star Trek' Actors

Things We Learned About Our Favorite Star Trek Actors

There would be no <a href="/list/best-star-trek-series-and-movies/aaron-edwards" target="_blank">Star Trek</a> without the fans. In 1968, when the first series was nearly canceled after two seasons, a <a href="https://www.startrek.com/article/bjo-trimble-the-woman-who-saved-star-trek-part-1" target="_blank">letter-writing campaign</a> created by fan Bjo Trimble saved it. The&nbsp;final, third season of Star Trek allowed the series to be sold into syndication, which is where it found a&nbsp;massive audience. Because of that history, the owner of the franchise, Paramount Pictures, has usually been quite lenient with fan-created content, from short stories to elaborate filmed shorts.

All of that changed with Axanar, the most ambitious and expensive Star Trek fan film in history. Money was raised, professional actors (many of whom had appeared in official Star Trek content) were hired, and sets were built. A trailer wowed fans at Comic-Con 2014, but legal trouble, money woes, and controversy condemned the film to never see the light of day.

The world of fan films hasn&#39;t&nbsp;been the same since. Here is the story of what happened to the biggest fan film of all time.

How 'Axanar,' The Ultimate Star Trek Fan Film, Led To The Mother Of All Lawsuits

Star Trek lists at Ranker - The ultimate source for hundreds of star trek lists and rankings

Star Trek lists on Ranker

Spock

Data

Jean-Luc Picard

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

Star Trek Beyond

This is a list of all Star Trek movies, ranked best to worst by fans, casual critics, and people like you. This votable list includes every Star Trek&nbsp;film to date. Certainly, several Star Trek&nbsp;films could be considered among the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/the-best-space-movies/all-genre-movies-lists" target="_blank">best space movies</a>. Which one is the greatest ever made? That&#39;s decided by voters, so be sure to cast your vote up or down for each film listed. Trekkies, this one&#39;s for you. Also: You can re-rank this list of great Star Trek&nbsp;films in any order you want.

Generally speaking, many Star Trek&nbsp;fans consider 1982&#39;s <a href="/list/star-trek-ii-the-wrath-of-khan-cast-and-actors-in-this-movie/reference" target="_blank">Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan</a>&nbsp;to be one of the best, if not *the* greatest Star Trek&nbsp;movie ever made. It&#39;s hard to deny that this film isn&#39;t awesome, with battles between the crew of the starship Enterprise&nbsp;and the evil Khan Noonien Singh.

The Star Trek&nbsp;movie franchise has enjoyed a revival, thanks in large part to J.J. Abrams&#39;s 2009 movie Star Trek&nbsp;and 2013&#39;s Star Trek Into Darkness.&nbsp;Where should these modern era Star Trek&nbsp;movies fall in comparison to the classics? Are they also among the <a href="/crowdranked-list/the-greatest-sci-fi-movies" target="_blank">greatest sci-fi movies</a> of all time? History will ultimately decide, but for now, you can - by voting!

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

The Best Star Trek Movies

Film

Every Star Trek Movie, Ranked Best to Worst by Votes

Ranker Community

poll

Favorite Star Trek characters from throughout the history of the Star Trek franchise of the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-scifi-television-series-of-all-time">sci-fi show</a>. This list gathers the best, most interesting characters from Star Trek, including all the Star Trek TV series, Star Trek films and associated media. The list order is determined by fielding suggestions from Ranker users for Star Trek characters, and then open voting for which characters are the absolute best.

Widely regarded as the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/the-best-scifi-television-series-of-all-time">greatest sci-fi TV series</a> of all time, the original Star Trek&nbsp;debuted on September 8, 1966 (after an initial pilot which didn&#39;t feature series regular William Shatner.) The show initially performed well in the ratings, but dropped off strongly in the first season. It was eventually cancelled during its third season. However, the show&#39;s cult status and passionate fanbase transformed it into one of the most famous and iconic TV and film series of all time (and they even made a <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/star-trek-games/video-game-info" target="_blank">Star Trek video game series</a>). There have since been numerous spin-off shows (including <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-star-trek-the-next-generation-episodes/reference" target="_blank">Star Trek: The Next Generation</a>, Deep Space Nine,&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-star-trek-voyager-episodes/reference" target="_blank">Star Trek: Voyager</a>.) Star Trek characters also spawned multiple film franchises. In addition to the films starring the original cast, and the group of films featuring Star Trek: The Next Generation&nbsp;characters, J.J. Abrams&#39;s 2009 reboot introduced a parallel Star Trek&nbsp;universe populated by new actors playing the classic heroes.

If your favorite Star Trek characters names aren&#39;t listed, be sure to add them and rerank the list. Also remember to vote for the overall best characters from Star Trek so they rise up the list. Oh, yeah, and live long and prosper.&nbsp;

What are the best Star Trek characters? Take a look at this list of Star Trek characters (with pictures) and see for yourself. Then, check out our list of the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/luckiest-star-trek-characters/jonathan-kantor" target="_blank">luckiest characters in&nbsp;Star Trek</a>, as well as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/crowdranked-list/best-star-trek-movies" target="_blank">best Star Trek movies</a>,&nbsp;our roundup of <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/star-trek-tng-celebrity-cameos/maggie-clancy" target="_blank">actors you didn&#39;t expect to find on Star Trek: The Next Generation</a>, and <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/who-would-star-in-star-trek-tng-today/christian-cintron" target="_blank">casting choices to be made</a> if Star Trek The Next Generation were produced today.