10 Mind-Blowing Star Trek Cave Episodes You Can't Miss

Summary

The "Caves" episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks humorously mocks the abundance of cave scenes in Star Trek, highlighting the repetitive cave sets used in the past.

The episode highlights significant cave moments from previous Star Trek series, underscoring their importance within the franchise. Lower Decks once again cleverly plays with traditional Star Trek tropes, adding a comedic twist to well-known cave storylines.

WARNING: Spoilers ahead for episode 8, "Caves," of Star Trek: Lower Decks, season 4.

Throughout its extensive six-decade history, Star Trek has continuously reimagined and repurposed various storylines, as well as sets. Surprisingly, caves have been a recurring setting in a significant number of episodes. Frequently, characters find themselves stranded on treacherous or unwelcoming planets, seeking refuge in nearby caves. Additionally, Starfleet Officers are occasionally dispatched to investigate caves. Whether due to a cave-in or inclement weather, characters frequently find themselves trapped within caves, unable to communicate with their starship. These tropes have been utilized across the entirety of the Star Trek franchise, spanning from the original series to the latest addition, Star Trek: Lower Decks.

Lower Decks season 4, episode 8, "Caves" hilariously mocks the abundance of caves in the Star Trek universe, highlighting the uncanny resemblance between caves scattered across various planets. This similarity arises from the common use of the same set, known as "Planet Hell," situated in Paramount Stage 16 during the era of Star Trek: The Next Generation. The utilization of a cave set provided practicality in design, enabling it to depict caves on numerous planets. Moreover, within the Star Trek realm, it is plausible for a multitude of rocky planets to possess intricate cave systems, potentially harboring life adapted to cave-dwelling. Notably, caves have served as the backdrop for some extraordinary and iconic moments in the Star Trek series.

10 Star Trek: The Original Series - “The Devil in the Dark”

Following reports of numerous fatalities within a mining colony on Janus VI, Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and the USS Enterprise embark on a mission to investigate the matter. The majority of the events in this twenty-fifth episode of the first season of TOS unfold within an intricate network of caves, as Captain Kirk and his crew diligently search for the mysterious entity responsible for the miners' demise. Eventually, Kirk and Spock (Leonard Nimoy) stumble upon the creature, resembling a massive molten rock, yet displaying no signs of aggression. Spock deduces that it is a silicon-based lifeform and endeavors to establish a mental connection through a mind meld. Through this profound connection, Spock discovers that the creature is referred to as a Horta and that the miners unwittingly destroyed its eggs. "The Devil in the Dark" endures as a beloved episode of TOS, profoundly capturing the essence of Star Trek - the relentless pursuit of encountering new life forms propelled by curiosity, rather than fear.

9 Star Trek: The Original Series - "All Our Yesterdays"

When Captain Kirk attempts to travel through a time portal on the planet Sarpeidon, accompanied by Spock and Dr. Leonard McCoy, they unexpectedly find themselves transported 5,000 years into the past during the planet's icy era. Fortunately, they are saved from freezing by a compassionate woman named Zarabeth, who leads them to a safe cave. As their stay prolongs, Spock gradually develops an unexpected attachment to Zarabeth and accepts the unfortunate reality that returning through the portal is impossible. However, McCoy soon notices that their time travel has triggered a reversion in Spock, causing him to exhibit the heightened emotions typical of Vulcans from the past. Eventually, with McCoy's persuasion, Spock realizes they must find a way to return to their own time. With a heavy heart, Spock bids a tearful farewell to Zarabeth, leaving behind the life he discovered in the unique world of Sarpeidon.

8 Star Trek: The Next Generation - "The Enemy"

During an away mission, Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) becomes trapped on the planet Galorndon Core due to a perilous radiologic storm. While attempting to establish contact with the Enterprise, Geordi encounters Bochra (John Snyder), a surviving Romulan whose ship had crashed on the planet. The severe storms not only hinder transportation and communication, but also inflict neurological damage. Geordi's VISOR impairs his vision, while Bochra experiences loss of sensation in his legs. In order to escape the impending harm caused by the storms, these adversaries must collaborate in locating the probe deployed by the Enterprise and finding a way off the planet.

7 Star Trek: The Next Generation - "Final Mission"

The primary focus of the narrative in TNG season 4, episode 9, "Final Mission" occurs within a cave where Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Ensign Wesley Crusher (Wil Wheaton) find refuge on an inhospitable desert moon. In preparation for his upcoming Starfleet Academy tenure, Wesley accompanies Captain Picard to Pentarus V, where Picard has been summoned to mediate a conflict. While en route to the planet, their shuttle crashes on a desert moon, forcing them to seek shelter within the moon's cave system. Following a rockslide that gravely wounds Picard, Wesley ingeniously creates a method to obtain water from the cave and sustain Picard's life until the Enterprise and Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) arrive.

6 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - "Heart of Stone"

In the DS9 third season, episode 14 titled "Heart of Stone," Constable Odo (René Auberjonois) and Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor) discover themselves trapped in a cave following their pursuit of a Maquis vessel to a small moon. As Kira becomes immobilized in a peculiar crystal that gradually envelops her entire body, Odo endeavors to set her free while candidly sharing details about his life. Eventually, Odo courageously confesses his love for Kira, to which she reciprocates her affection. However, Odo starts to feel suspicious about her response when Kira unexpectedly reveals her true identity as the Female Changeling (Salome Jens). Disguised, the Female Changeling attempts to convince Odo to join the other Changelings in the Great Link. The intricate dynamics between Odo, Kira, and the Changelings become pivotal plotlines that shape the subsequent events.

5 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - “Waltz”

After the ship carrying Gul Dukat, the former Cardassian leader portrayed by Marc Alaimo, is attacked, Captain Benjamin Sisko, played by Avery Brooks, finds himself stranded in a cave on a nearby planet along with Dukat. As Sisko works to find a way out, Dukat's mental state deteriorates, leading to hallucinations and increasing instability. The incredible acting skills of both Brooks and Alaimo are on full display as Sisko engages Dukat in conversation, provoking him to rant about his mistreatment of Bajor. Eventually, Dukat manages to escape, swearing to personally annihilate Bajor, while the battered Sisko is ultimately rescued by the USS Defiant.

4 Star Trek: Voyager - "Blood Fever"

In Star Trek: Voyager season 3, episode 16, Lt. B'Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson) contracts Vulcan pon farr from Ensign Vorik (Alexander Enberg). This leads her to develop strong feelings for Lt. Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill). During an away mission to gather gallicite from an apparently deserted mine, B'Elanna ventures into the cave system alone. Tom locates her and attempts to persuade her to return to the ship, but B'Elanna is solely focused on initiating intimate relations with him. Despite sharing his desire to be with B'Elanna, Tom refuses to take advantage of her compromised mental state. This episode, "Blood Fever," establishes the foundation for Tom and B'Elanna's eventual romantic relationship, even though they officially become a couple in season 4.

3 Star Trek: Enterprise - "Strange New World"

While on an away mission to examine a newly found M-class planet, Sub-Commander T'Pol (Jolene Blalock), Commander Trip Tucker (Connor Trinneer), and Ensign Travis Mayweather (Anthony Montgomery) are compelled to find refuge in a cave during a tempest. Travis and Trip both claim to have spotted extraterrestrial life forms within the caverns, but T'Pol's scans display no signs of anything unusual. The landing party becomes increasingly suspicious and erratic, eventually leading Dr. Phlox (John Billingsley) to urgently transport one of the crew members back on board. Phlox discovers that the landing party has been exposed to a hallucinogenic substance originating from the planet's plant life. The remedy is dispatched to the landing party, administered by T'Pol, and the crew patiently endures the remainder of the storm.

2 Star Trek: Discovery - "Forget Me Not"

After the USS Discovery leaped forward 930 years, officers from the United Earth Defense Force conducted an inspection of their ship. Among these officers was Adira, a human (played by Blu del Barrio), who astonishingly disclosed that they were implanted with a Trill symbiont and possessed no recollections prior to their discovery by the Defense Force in an escape pod. In episode 4 of Star Trek: Discovery season 3, entitled "Forget Me Not," the Discovery transports Adira to the Trill homeworld in an endeavor to access the memories of their symbiont, Tal. Accompanied by Michael Burnham (portrayed by Sonequa Martin-Green), Adira eventually arrives at the Caves of Mak'ala. It is within these caverns that Adira submerges themselves in the pools and embarks on a journey of discovery, unraveling fragments from their elusive past.

1 Star Trek: Lower Decks - “Caves”

In the hilarious episode titled "Caves" of season 4, episode 8 of Star Trek: Lower Decks, the show cleverly satirizes the abundance of cave scenarios in the Star Trek universe. Lieutenants Brad Boimler, Beckett Mariner, D'Vana Tendi, and Sam Rutherford find themselves trapped in a cave and amusingly reflect on their past cave missions. Stranded amidst carnivorous moss and unable to establish communication with the USS Cerritos, the Lower Deckers devise a plan to contact the ship using the resources available in the cave. "Caves" pays homage to previous Star Trek episodes set in caves while cleverly employing the very tropes it playfully mocks. As always, Lower Decks skillfully subverts traditional Star Trek themes, resulting in side-splitting comedic outcomes. Don't miss out on streaming season 4 of Star Trek: Lower Decks, airing on Paramount+ every Thursday.