The Whales' Vital Role in Starfleet: 37 Years of Earth's Mammals Shaping the Star Trek Universe
Whales have played a pivotal role in Star Trek for over 37 years, captivating audiences through various series and movies From Leonard Nimoy's influence to space whales, explore the fascinating connection between Earth's mammals and Starfleet
Summary
Whales have been a significant part of Star Trek for over 37 years, beginning with the popular film Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.
The success of Star Trek IV resulted in increased donations to Greenpeace, which ultimately contributed to the removal of humpback whales from the endangered species list. Whales have been featured in different capacities throughout the franchise, such as serving as navigational experts on the USS Enterprise-D and being portrayed as space-dwelling creatures known as Gormaganders in Star Trek: Discovery.
Whales have played a significant role in the Star Trek franchise for more than 37 years, starting with Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, which became known as 'the one with the whales.' Directed by Leonard Nimoy, this film tells the story of Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and the USS Enterprise crew's journey back to 1986 to locate humpback whales in an effort to save the future. Star Trek IV is highly acclaimed and it sparked Star Trek's enduring fascination with whales.
In addition, other science fiction franchises have also featured whales, but in alien forms. For instance, Avatar: The Way of Water introduces the Tulkin, intelligent and empathetic whales that inhabit the oceans of Pandora. Similarly, Star Wars: Ahsoka presents the Purrgil, space whales that navigate through hyperspace, venturing into uncharted galaxies beyond the New Republic and the Empire's known territories. Nonetheless, whales have become closely associated with Star Trek and have consistently appeared in different capacities throughout the 23rd and 24th centuries ever since the immense success of Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.
Star Trek IV & Leonard Nimoy Began Trek’s Fascination With Whales
The fate of Earth in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home relies entirely on the transportation of humpback whales from the past to the 23rd century. Admiral Kirk and his crew travel through time to 1986 San Francisco where they successfully locate and bring two humpback whales named George and Gracie with them to the future. Demonstrating the ability to communicate with a destructive Probe, the humpbacks satisfy the alien vessel, which subsequently departs, sparing Earth from destruction.
With the intention of conveying an environmental message, Leonard Nimoy and producer Harve Bennett chose humpback whales as the film’s MacGuffin and the solution to saving the future, as they were extinct in the 23rd century. The success of Star Trek IV also had a positive impact on the real world, as donations to Greenpeace increased following the release of the film. Consequently, by 2016, humpback whales were no longer classified as an endangered species due to a decline in hunting.
There May Have Been Whales Aboard Star Trek: The Next Generation’s USS Enterprise-D
Although never depicted in Star Trek: The Next Generation, dolphins and potentially whales were present on the USS Enterprise-D. The Technical Manual for Star Trek: The Next Generation provided a detailed description and layout of Cetacean Ops, a designated area within the starship where 12 bottlenose dolphins were employed as skilled navigators, aiding in the steering of the starship.
Cetacean Ops was mentioned in Season 3 of TNG, and Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge (LeVar Burton) even offered to show dolphins to a passenger, though the actual area was never shown on the show. In Star Trek: Lower Decks, it was revealed that Beluga whales, rather than dolphins, are present on the USS Cerritos. This new information may potentially revise the concept of Cetacean Ops in TNG to include both whales and dolphins.
Star Trek: Discovery Introduced Space Whales
Star Trek: Discovery season 1 introduced Gormaganders, which are whales that inhabit the vacuum of space. In the episode "Magic to Make the Sanest Man Go Mad," Harcourt Fenton Mudd (played by Rainn Wilson) sneaks aboard the USS Discovery by concealing himself within a Gormagander, claiming that he obtained it from the Klingons. "Penetrating a space whale" is considered a criminal act within the United Federation of Planets, and Mudd faced charges for this offense as well as numerous other felonies.
Although not classified as marine mammals, Gormaganders are commonly referred to as "space whales." They are hunted and consumed, particularly by the Orions and the Klingons. In the 32nd century of Star Trek: Discovery, Gormaganders were recognized as the species that spent the most time on the Federation's Endangered Species List.
Star Trek: Lower Decks Has Whales On The USS Cerritos
Star Trek: Lower Decks season 2 introduces Cetacean Ops, where Lieutenants Kimolu and Matt, who are Beluga whales, serve on the Cerritos. In the season's finale, Kimuolu and Matt play a vital role in assisting Ensign Brad Boimler in rescuing the Cerritos and the USS Archimedes. Notably, they also save Boimler from danger as he navigates the underwater passages of Cetacean Ops. Unlike other whale characters in Star Trek, Kimolu and Matt possess the ability to communicate, albeit in their unique whale language. Additionally, Matt displays a fascination with human Starfleet Officers engaging in the activity of skinny-dipping with whales.
Whales have a significant presence in the Star Trek universe, ranging from being endangered species to serving as heroic Starfleet Officers. In the 24th century, starships rely on whales' assistance for navigation, and they have proven capable of saving their ships when the need arises. Ever since Admiral Kirk, Mr. Spock, and their companions brought humpback whales to the 23rd century, whales have garnered a special and cherished place within the Star Trek franchise.
