The Unforgettable Star Trek Characters that Define Clint Howard's Legacy
Clint Howard, known for his versatile acting, has left an indelible mark on the Star Trek universe with his memorable characters From the enigmatic Balok in the Original Series to the chilling Creepy Orion in Discovery, his talent shines through Don't miss his captivating portrayal of Commander Buck Martinez in the highly anticipated Strange New Worlds
Summary
Clint Howard has appeared in five different Star Trek shows, making him the only actor to have appeared in both The Original Series and either Discovery or Strange New Worlds.
Howard demonstrated his talent at a young age by playing the iconic role of Balok in Star Trek: The Original Series. In this role, he portrayed a terrifying alien character with an unexpected twist.
In his most recent portrayal in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Howard showcases his versatility as an actor by playing Commander Buck Martinez. He impressively takes on the role of a no-nonsense Chief Medical Officer during the intense Klingon War.
Clint Howard's role in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds signifies his fifth appearance as a guest star in the Star Trek franchise. He initially made his debut on Star Trek: The Original Series at the tender age of seven, and subsequently featured in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: Enterprise, Star Trek: Discovery, and now Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. By joining the Strange New Worlds cast, Howard has achieved the distinction of being the sole actor to have appeared in both TOS and either Discovery or Strange New Worlds.
Clint Howard embarked on his acting journey alongside his brother, actor and director Ron Howard, at the young age of two when they shared the screen in an episode of The Andy Griffith Show. Since then, Howard's career has been exceptionally prolific, spanning numerous films and television shows across decades. He has notably appeared in seventeen films directed by his brother, including Solo: A Star Wars Story, cementing his status as one of the select few actors who have featured in both Star Trek and Star Wars. Among his many notable roles, Clint Howard's portrayal of Balok in Star Trek: The Original Series remains particularly iconic. To provide a comprehensive overview, here is a breakdown of all five of Clint Howard's Star Trek characters.
5 Balok in Star Trek: The Original Series
Clint Howard first appeared in Star Trek at just seven years of age when he portrayed Balok, a member of the First Federation, in the Star Trek: The Original Series episode titled "The Corbomite Maneuver." In the beginning, Balok seemed like a terrifying alien to the crew of the USS Enterprise. However, when Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), Doctor Leonard McCoy (Deforest Kelley), and Crewman Bailey (Anthony Call) visited Balok on his ship, the Fesarius, Balok revealed his true form, which resembled that of a child. Surprisingly, Balok confessed, using a voice quite different from his usual one (provided by Walker Edmiston), that his previous threats against the Enterprise were merely a means to test the crew's moral fiber. Consequently, he cordially extended an invitation for them to explore his ship. Since Balok was the Fesarius' sole occupant and expressed his loneliness, Kirk took the initiative to assign Crewman Bailey to keep Balok company and glean further insight into his culture.
4 Grady in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
In "Past Tense," an impactful two-part episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, the series continues its tradition of exploring important political issues. Commander Benjamin Sisko, along with Dr. Julian Bashir and Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax, find themselves transported to 2024 San Francisco, a crucial moment in human history marred by riots. Clint Howard makes an appearance in "Past Tense: Part 2" as Grady, a homeless and mentally ill individual who believes in an impending alien invasion. Grady steals Dax's combadge, but she cleverly convinces him that she is a benevolent alien and retrieves her belongings.
3 Muk in Star Trek: Enterprise
2 Creepy Orion in Star Trek: Discovery
Clint Howard portrays the character of Muk, a Ferengi pirate, in the first season of Star Trek: Enterprise. In the episode titled "Acquisition," Captain Jonathan Archer (played by Scott Bakula), Commander Trip Tucker (played by Connor Trinneer), and Subcommander T'Pol (played by Jolene Blalock) join forces to counter the intrusion of a group of Ferengis onto the Enterprise NX-01. T'Pol successfully convinces Muk that the Ferengi leader intends to hoard all the profits, causing discord among the Ferengi. Exploiting this division, Trip lures the Ferengis to what they believe is the Enterprise's vault, only to ambush them. Ultimately, Muk and his fellow Ferengis are compelled to restore the stolen items, and Captain Archer orders them to vacate Federation space. Not until approximately 200 years later, in Star Trek: The Next Generation, do the Ferengis officially engage in their first contact with Captain Jean-Luc Picard (portrayed by Patrick Stewart) and the USS Enterprise-D.
Clint Howard takes on an eerie role in Star Trek: Discovery's season 1 finale, "Will You Take My Hand?," portraying a mysterious Orion character. As the Discovery crew visits an Orion outpost on the Klingon homeworld, Qo'noS, Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman) encounters this enigmatic individual. She is enticed by his offer of volcanic vapors, which ultimately cause her to momentarily lose consciousness. Upon regaining her senses, Tilly finds that the Orion is attempting to pilfer the handcuffed briefcase she carries. Initially intended to house a drone for planetary mapping, Tilly's shocking discovery reveals that the case actually contains a destructive bomb, planned for use by Emperor Philippa Georgiou (Michelle Yeoh) to annihilate Qo'noS.
1 Commander Buck Martinez in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
In "Under the Cloak of War," the darkest episode yet of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Clint Howard takes on the role of Commander Buck Martinez, the Chief Medical Officer stationed at a Starfleet Mobile Combat Hospital on the moon J'Gal during the Klingon War. This episode, which is Season 2, Episode 8 of Strange New Worlds, follows Captain Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and his USS Enterprise crew as they welcome a visiting Klingon Ambassador, Dak'Rah (Robert Wisdom), who was once a notorious General known as "the Butcher of J'Gal." Dak'Rah's presence on the ship triggers painful memories for Dr. Joseph M'Benga (Babs Olusanmokun) and Nurse Christine Chapel (Jess Bush), who served alongside him during the war against the Klingons.
In a series of flashbacks throughout the episode, it is revealed that M'Benga and Chapel served under the command of Buck Martinez on J'Gal. Martinez was known for his straightforward approach and no-nonsense attitude. Clint Howard's appearance on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds marks a milestone, as it comes almost 57 years after his initial appearance on TOS in 1966, making him the actor with the longest time span between his first and most recent appearances in the Star Trek franchise. Additionally, Clint Howard holds the distinction of appearing in every decade that Star Trek has had a live-action TV series on the air.
