Since its television debut in 1966, Star Trek has bloomed into a massive, multimedia franchise and has become a staple of the sci-fi genre. TV shows, video games, novels, comic books — you name it, and Star Trek has done it. But one of its most successful branches over the years has been movies. The first film, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, was released in 1979.
Since then, Hollywood has pumped out an additional twelve movies that cover three different eras, characters, and timelines. The setting, though, is always the same: “Space — the final frontier.” Like with many movies, each Star Trek installment is partially defined by its villain. It’s the antagonist, after all, that represents the central conflict and ignites the movie’s action.
Some villains are powerful, frightening, and awesome, and have intriguing character designs. Their names have been engraved into the minds of the Star Trek fan base and are remembered fondly in the years to come. Other villains are completely forgettable. And some…well, they can barely be described as villains. And many of them have been portrayed by notable actors. Let’s travel the universe and rank every major Star Trek villain from all 13 films.
13 The Whale Probe – Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home is the fourth film in the Star Trek series. Here, the iconic USS Enterprise returns to Earth to find it under threat from an alien probe that’s been trying to contact humpback whales, which have gone extinct in the Star Trek timeline. The crew must now take on its strangest mission yet: to travel back in time, to 1980s Earth, and search for humpback whales that can answer the probe’s call. Despite its unusual premise, The Voyage Home is a favorite among the Star Trek community and was lauded for its humor and unconventional story.
A Mindless Machine Carrying Out a Mission
Another unconventional aspect to this film: it didn’t really have a villain. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) theorizes that the Probe was sent by an unknown intelligence that had been in contact with whales while they still existed on Earth, trying to determine why that contact had been lost.
Yes, the whale probe threatens to wreak havoc upon future Earth unless its call is answered. But at the end of the day, the probe is really nothing more than a machine that’s mindlessly carrying out a mission. Plus, the film’s comedy and lighthearted nature make the whale probe feel a lot less dangerous than other villains on this list. Stream Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home on Max.
12 V’ger – Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
When the original television series was canceled in 1969, Paramount Pictures decided to continue the franchise through a movie. Star Trek: The Motion Picture is the first film in the franchise and brings the original TV cast to the silver screen, such as William Shatner’s James Kirk and Leonard Nimoy’s Spock. The film didn’t quite meet expectations, maybe because it lacked a true villain.
Not Especially Villainous
Here, the Enterprise comes across a seemingly hostile sentient machine that calls itself V’ger. As it turns out, V’Ger is actually an old Earth space probe known as Voyager 6, which was believed to be lost in a black hole. Voyager 6 was found by an alien race of living machines that re-programmed it to learn as much information as possible and then transmit that information to its original creator.
The machines sent Voyager 6 back into space, where it gathered such a wealth of knowledge that it eventually achieved consciousness. Having learned everything it possibly could, V’ger has somewhat of a midlife crisis and now considers its existence meaningless. It’s not a villainous enemy with bad intentions like other characters on this list. Its problems are more of a misunderstanding, which ranks it lower than its counterparts. Stream Star Trek: The Motion Picture on Max.
11 Shinzon – Star Trek: Nemesis (2002)
Star Trek: Nemesis is the 10th installment in the Star Trek franchise. It’s the last film to star the cast of TV’s Star Trek: The Next Generation, following Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and his crew aboard the famous Enterprise and to the far reaches of space.
An Early Role for Tom Hardy
It stars a then-unknown Tom Hardy as the film’s villain, Praetor Shinzon. He’s a young, imperfect clone of Picard (complete with the bald head) and has grand plans to annihilate Earth. It’s a fascinating concept that provides an insightful look at how Picard might have turned out had he been born under different circumstances. But unfortunately, Hardy’s villain was overshadowed by the film’s negative reception; Nemesis is often regarded as the worst film in the Star Trek franchise. It bombed so badly that the franchise went into hibernation until J.J. Abrams’ 2009 reboot. Stream Star Trek: Nemesis on Max.
10 Ru’afo – Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)
Star Trek: Insurrection is the ninth entry in the Star Trek franchise and the third to follow the characters in The Next Generation series. Here, the Enterprise becomes entangled with a decrepit race known as the Son’a. The Son’a rely on technology to postpone death and undergo excessive cosmetic surgery to recapture their youth, which instead gives them an ugly, mummified appearance.
Stifled by Weak Character Development
Their leader, Ru’afo (F. Murray Abraham), develops a plot to harvest radiation that will reinvigorate him and his people. It’s not the most compelling scheme ever; it sounds more like an episode of the Kardashians than a Star Trek movie. Not even the Oscar-winning Abraham could make Ru’afo stand out underneath all those prosthetics and that weak character development. Stream Star Trek: Insurrection on Max.
9 False God – Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
For most of Star Trek 5: The Final Frontier, we’re led to believe that Sybok (Laurence Luckinbill), the rebellious Vulcan half-brother of Spock, is the villain of this film. Unlike Spock, Sybok renounces the Vulcan teachings and goes in search of God (yes, that’s right, God), who’s believed to live on the mythical planet Sha Ka Ree. Sybok and the rest of the Enterprise eventually find it: a glowing field that morphs through representations of various religions before settling on the image of a bearded human face.
A Great Concept with a Cool Plot Twist
But as it turns out, this entity isn’t a god at all. It’s a malicious and powerful being that’s been imprisoned in Sha Ka Ree, who unknowingly reveals itself when it asks to use our heroes’ starship. As a skeptical Captain Kirk (William Shatner) points out, “What does God need with a starship?”
Realizing how badly he’s been duped, Sybok apologizes and becomes one of the good guys, as they battle the entity and try to escape Sha Ka Ree. It’s a cool concept for a villain and an interesting plot twist. But unfortunately, the film’s negative reception and mediocre quality make this villain easy to forget. Stream Star Trek 5: The Final Frontier on Max.
8 Khan – Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
Star Trek Into Darkness is the 12th movie in the Star Trek franchise and the second film in Abrams’ revival series. It captures what’s known as the Kelvin timeline, following the rebooted versions of the USS Enterprise, Captain James Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), and other iconic characters from the original series. And one of those iconic characters is none other than Khan Noonien Singh, played here by Benedict Cumberbatch.
A Weaker Version of Khan
This version of Khan is a force to be reckoned with. He’s a genetically engineered superhuman, a skilled combatant and a brilliant mastermind. It’s cool to see such a famous villain rebooted, and even cooler to see Spock meet his match in hand-to-hand combat.
For modern Star Trek fans, this is likely the definitive version of Khan. If you have nothing else to compare him to, then this is undoubtedly an awesome villain. But for old-school Star Trek fans, Benedict’s Khan doesn’t quite live up to the original character. Rent Star Trek Into Darkness on Amazon Prime Video.
7 Tolian Soran – Star Trek Generations (1994)
Star Trek: Generations is the seventh installment in the Star Trek film series. For fans, this movie was a big deal. It brought two iconic Star Trek captains together on the big screen: James Kirk (William Shatner) and Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). Unfortunately, Generations left many fans disappointed due to its underwhelming story and performances. But one of its few highlights is the movie’s villain, Dr. Tolian Soran, played by none other than Malcolm McDowell.
Another Villainous Character from Malcolm McDowell
McDowell has made an illustrious career out of playing villainous characters (A Clockwork Orange, Caligula, and Heroes, just to name a few), and Soran is no exception. This character will do whatever it takes to return to the extradimensional realm known as the Nexus, even if it means killing whoever stands in his way. But Soran’s most notable accomplishment is contributing to the death of Star Trek’s original hero, Captain Kirk himself, which earns him some major brownie points on this list. Stream Star Trek: Generations on Max.
6 Krall – Star Trek Beyond (2016)
Few actors can play a hardcore character as well as Idris Elba. In Star Trek Beyond, Elba appears as the film’s villain, Krall. Krall was once a human Starfleet officer named Balthazar Edison, whose starship crash-landed on a planet long before the film takes place. The crew’s distress calls went unanswered for 100 long years, which led Edison to grow resentful of the Federation to which he had dedicated his life. Edison’s time on that planet also mutated his DNA, changing his appearance from the handsome Idris Elba to a more vicious-looking alien.
Simply a Great Villain
Krall has all the makings of a good villain. He’s portrayed by a great actor, he has a cool appearance, and he has a great origin story that clearly outlines his hatred of the Federation. Star Trek Beyond is the most recent film movie to come out of the Kelvin timeline, though it’s not the last. A fourth, untitled Star Trek film is reportedly in the works. Rent Star Trek Beyond on Prime Video.
5 Kruge – Star Trek III: The Search For Spock (1984)
One of the most famous alien species in Star Trek is the Klingons, those ruthless, humanoid warriors with the bumpy foreheads. Klingons are recurring antagonists in Star Trek and appear prominently throughout the franchise. And one of the most notable and antagonistic Klingons is the mercenary Kruge, played by Christopher Lloyd in Star Trek III: The Search For Spock.
A Rare Villain Role by Christopher Lloyd
You can barely tell that it’s Christopher Lloyd in this role, and it’s not just because of his make-up. Lloyd loses himself in this character, embracing the brutality and ruthlessness of the Klingon race. His character design popularized the Klingons’ iconic head ridges, and his portrayal revamped interest in this alien race. Kruge is also responsible for killing Kirk’s son, David, which makes him one of the more memorable and dangerous villains in the Star Trek franchise. Stream Star Trek III: The Search For Spock on Max.
4 Nero – Star Trek (2009)
After the critical and box office bomb that was Star Trek: Nemesis, the Star Trek movie franchise went into hibernation. It would take seven years for it to return to the big screen, courtesy of J.J. Abrams, the golden nerd of Hollywood. 2009’s Star Trek is a quasi-reboot: it presents the original characters in a separate timeline, keeping the old movies, events, and characters intact and allowing them to co-exist with this new series.
A Great Villain for a Much-Needed Reboot
Abrams knew that he needed a good villain to kick off this new series and attract both old and new fans. Enter Nero (Eric Bana). A Romulan from the future, he’s calm and collected while also being imposing and dangerous. He’s the one responsible for creating this separate timeline, altering events by traveling through time and destroying Kelvin.
Because of him, Kirk’s father is killed, and Spock’s home planet of Vulcan is destroyed. He’s not just the best villain to come out of the Kelvin series; he’s one of the best villains to come out of a Star Trek movie. Rent Star Trek on Prime Video.
Star Trek
- Release Date
- May 6, 2009
- Runtime
- 126
3 General Chang – Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
The sixth installment in the franchise, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country is the final movie to feature the entire main cast of the original television series. It was a return to form after the critical and commercial disappointment of The Final Frontier. The Undiscovered Country introduced a new Klingon antagonist: General Chang. played by Christopher Plummer (Christophers and Klingons seem to go well together).
A Classic Klingon Villain
Opposed to the treaty between the Federation and the Klingon Empire, Chang frames Captain Kirk for the murder of the Klingon Chancellor — who Chang helped to assassinate. Chang is a classic Klingon villain — ruthless, brutal, and intelligent — and is one of the most iconic adversaries from the original Star Trek series. Stream Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country on Max.
Star Trek: First Contact is technically the first movie to focus on The Next Generation cast; their first film, Generations, starred the original television cast as well. First Contact is widely regarded as one of the best movies in the Star Trek franchise, and that’s partially thanks to its villain: The Borg Queen (Alice Krige). The Borg are an alien group of cybernetic organisms, or cyborgs, and possess both mechanical and biological body parts. They were a new antagonist for The Next Generation series, a signature villain that the show was sorely lacking.
The Borg Are Terrifying
In First Contact, the Borg take center stage and are given a character redesign to appear as though they were converted into machine beings from the inside-out. They also never had a hierarchical command structure before. First Contact changed that by introducing the dreaded Borg Queen. Her appearance alone makes her one of the more fascinating villains in the Star Trek franchise: that mechanical body coupled with her pale, slimy skin, elongated head, and hairstyle of wires.
She’s a sinister entity who’s determined to assimilate everything into Borg. Despite her wicked behavior and appearance, the Borg Queen has an unsettling kind of allure. And as a female villain, she’s a breath of fresh air for the franchise. Stream Star Trek: First Contact on Max.
1 Khan – Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan (1982)
Sometimes, the most obvious answer really is the right one, and our number one choice here is no exception. Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan is revered by both fans and critics and is regarded as the best installment of the Star Trek franchise. It improved upon its predecessor’s biggest mistake by introducing a legitimate villain: Khan Noonien Singh (Ricardo Montalban).
Khan!!!!!!!
Khan first appeared in season two of the televised series. But it was The Wrath Of Khan that fleshed out his character and established his rivalry with the crew of the Enterprise. His theatricality and over-the-top energy make him the perfect antithesis to Captain Kirk. And his involvement with Spock’s alleged death makes for one of the most emotional moments in the franchise.
Khan has become the golden standard for Star Trek villains, the model that every future antagonist is compared to. He isn’t just the greatest villain in the Star Trek series; he’s one of the most iconic antagonists of the entire sci-fi genre. Stream Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan on Max.
