Unveiling 12 Mind-Blowing Star Trek Aliens in Discovery’s Epic 32nd Century!

Summary

Star Trek: Discovery season 3 introduced new aliens and updated existing ones, showcasing the aftermath of the epoch-shifting event known as the Burn.

In the 32nd century, popular extraterrestrial races such as the Borg Collective and Klingons were noticeably absent, whereas others like Ferengi and Andorians received enhancements and played significant roles. The Trill underwent a remarkable transformation, the Vulcans and Romulans reunified, and the Orions emerged as formidable adversaries within the Emerald Chain, with the Cardassians assuming a role in the government. Season 5 will witness humanity's reunion with the Federation.

Season 3 of Star Trek: Discovery saw the crew venturing into the 32nd century, bringing forth new extraterrestrial beings and modernizing the established Star Trek lore. Captain Michael Burnham and her team aboard the USS Discovery took on the task of rebuilding the Federation following the destructive and enigmatic event known as the Burn. This event had far-reaching consequences for beloved alien species within the Star Trek universe, leading to former adversaries becoming allies and founding Federation members adopting opposing ideologies in a fight for survival.

While many alien races have been updated in the 32nd century, not every species from the Star Trek canon has undergone this transformation. The original Borg Collective no longer exists after being eradicated by Admiral Jean-Luc Picard, and the Klingons of Star Trek: Discovery are notably absent in the distant future. Nevertheless, Discovery seasons 3 and 4 have provided intriguing hints and significant narrative developments for various alien races across the extensive history of the Star Trek franchise.

12 Ferengi

11 Changelings

The Ferengi in Star Trek: Discovery have made brief appearances, featuring a slightly more primate-like appearance compared to their counterparts in the 24th century. Excitingly, the inclusion of a Ferengi Starfleet Captain in Discovery follows the path set by Lieutenant JG Nog (Aron Eisenberg) from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. This development signifies a promising future for the Ferengi species within the Star Trek universe. However, the recent journey to the less reputable Karma Barge in season 4 of Discovery emphasized that there are still Ferengi who continue to prioritize gambling and profit in their distant future.

The status of the Dominion Founders in Star Trek's 32nd century remains uncertain, but one thing is clear – there is a Changeling who continues to oppose Starfleet morality. Long after the Changeling alliance with the Borg Collective, Star Trek: Discovery unveiled the existence of some Changelings who linger on the fringes of Federation society. In "All In," an episode from Discovery season 4, a Changeling with extraordinary shape-shifting abilities employs these powers to evade capture after attempting to cheat The Karma Barge casino.

10 Lurians

Upon her arrival in the 32nd century, Captain Burnham encountered a Lurian, a member of the same species as Morn from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Discovery didn't provide any additional information about DS9's mysterious alien race, except for the fact that Lurians were part of both Starfleet and the nefarious Emerald Chain network. In contrast to DS9's beloved Morn, the Lurians in Discovery's distant future displayed a more action-oriented nature, actively brandishing weapons and attempting to capture Burnham upon her arrival in the 3100s.

9 Andorians

A shift occurred for the Andorians in the 32nd century, following the Burn, as they veered towards a darker path. Coalescing with the Orions, esteemed Star Trek characters, they formed a criminal alliance that controlled couriers such as Book (David Ajala). Moreover, this collaboration assumed responsibility for the allocation of the universe's scarce reserves of dilithium. Responding to the perilous Dark Matter Anomaly, the Andorians dispatched three representatives to a momentous Federation gathering convened to determine a course of action against this devastating phenomenon. These Andorians possessed a slightly more rugged appearance compared to their predecessors in Star Trek, yet they retained their distinguishable traits of blue skin, white hair, and antennae.

8 Trill

The Trill underwent a significant transformation in Star Trek: Discovery season 3 through a groundbreaking transplant procedure. Adira (Blu del Barrio) bravely became the host for the Tal symbiont following the tragic death of its previous host, Gray Tal (Ian Sutherland). Adira, being the first successful non-Trill species to be joined with a symbiont, faced opposition from the Trill homeworld. Nevertheless, Adira's successful joining provided hope for the Trill species after losing a substantial number of viable hosts during the Burn.

In an intriguing development, Trill society found an inventive solution to their predicament by utilizing Golem technology, which previously saved the life of Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). Dr. Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz), using this advanced technology, created a synthetic body to grant Gray, Adira's boyfriend, a second chance at life. Reunited with the Tal symbiont, the Gray Golem returned to Trill to embark on his journey to become a Guardian. This suggests that future Trills may be able to benefit from Picard's Golem technology.

7 Kelpiens

6 Vulcans And Romulans

Captain Saru (Doug Jones), after a brief departure from Starfleet, assumed the role of an Elder on the Kelpien home world. This decision came about following the discovery of Su'Kal (Bill Irwin), a lost child who unintentionally triggered The Burn. The third season of Star Trek: Discovery unveiled that Saru's evolutionary transformation had profoundly impacted Kelpien society, resulting in significant improvements. No longer pursued by the Ba'ul, these two species forged an alliance and became valued members of the Federation in the 32nd century.

Star Trek: Discovery achieved Spock's vision of uniting the Vulcan and Romulan people on their newly named world, Ni'Var. Formerly known as Vulcan, the planet's new name better represents its diverse Vulcan and Romulan inhabitants. Like the Andorians, the original founding species had withdrawn from the Federation following the Burn. However, after a year, the reunited Vulcans and Romulans took a significant step forward by rejoining the United Federation of Planets, contributing greatly to the restoration of the Federation's former greatness.

Interestingly, the reunification of the Vulcans and Romulans was successfully achieved through the significant involvement of the Qowat Milat. Initially introduced in Star Trek: Picard season 1, this order of Romulan Warrior Nuns, of which Michael Burnham's mother was an esteemed member, played a crucial role in fostering communication between the two species. It is primarily attributable to the efforts of the Qowat Milat that the reunification process remained intact, even during the challenging period that followed the Burn.

5 Kwejians

The Book, a Kwejian, belonged to a humanoid species known for their remarkable empathic abilities, which fostered a deep connection with nature and among themselves. These empathic powers were visually represented by a radiant pattern displayed on their forehead, triggered through ritualistic chanting. Existing as a peaceful society without interstellar travel capabilities, the Kwejians were approached by the Emerald Chain, who made empty promises to assist them in overcoming their sea locust predicament. Sadly, this pledge proved futile, leading to the devastating fate of the Kwejian home planet as an early casualty of the Dark Matter Anomaly.

4 Orions

In the aftermath of the Burn, Star Trek's Orions rose to become the menacing force in the 32nd century. Taking advantage of the scarcity of dilithium, this intergalactic pirate race formed a powerful alliance known as the Emerald Chain alongside the Andorians. Embracing a ruthless capitalist ideology, the Emerald Chain stood in direct opposition to the values upheld by the Federation. Under their oppressive rule, they allowed for all forms of cruelty, ranging from enslavement to unfair trade practices with less enlightened species.

In their quest for dominance, the Emerald Chain attempted to coerce the Federation into endorsing their predatory capitalism, but their efforts proved futile. As a result, they resorted to a destructive plan to eliminate Federation Headquarters. However, Captain Burnham emerged as a formidable adversary, breaking the Emerald Chain's grip on the quadrant by eliminating their leader, Minister Osyrra (Janet Kidder). With their leader removed from power, the Emerald Chain fractured, losing control over numerous planets it previously oppressed.

3 Cardassians

The President of the United Federation of Planets in the distant future of Star Trek: Discovery is President Laira Rillak (Chelah Horsdal), who is of mixed Cardassian, Bajoran, and Human heritage. This unique blend of DNA not only reflects the diversity of the Federation's leadership, but also suggests positive transformations for these three species after the Dominion War. As we fast forward 800 years, it is safe to assume that the Cardassians, Bajorans, and Humans have found more stable ground in their relationships, leaving behind the conflicts of the past.

2 Species 10-C

Star Trek: Discovery introduces Species 10-C, an incredibly unique and extraterrestrial race encountered by Starfleet. Unlike humanoids, this species resided beyond the boundaries of the Galactic Barrier and had attained an immensely advanced level of technology. Despite their achievements, their home planet faced imminent danger, compelling them to extract the precious mineral boronite for their hypersphere, which protected their world. Regrettably, the method employed to mine boronite, using the enigmatic Dark Matter Anomaly, resulted in the annihilation of numerous planets across the galaxy.

1 Humans

The USS Discovery and President Rillak embarked on a journey to the home world of Species 10-C, aiming to establish First Contact and negotiate an end to their detrimental mining operations. Regrettably, their mode of communication proved completely alien to Starfleet's Universal Translators, relying instead on a complex interplay of flashing lights and emotion-conveying hydrocarbons. Eventually, through the combined efforts of Saru and Book, the devastating consequences caused by the actions of Species 10-C were effectively conveyed, prompting the aliens to deeply regret the extent of the damage they had inflicted.

Following the catastrophic Burn, Humanity, once a founding member of the Federation, abruptly severed ties with the organization. Instead, it reverted back to the governance of United Earth, reminiscent of the Star Trek: Enterprise era. Consequently, Humanity no longer held membership in the very Federation it had played a pivotal role in establishing. However, after a crucial episode involving Species 10-C and the enigmatic Dark Matter Anomaly, Earth's President, Stacey Abrams, initiated discussions for Earth to reclaim its position within the United Federation of Planets. This development potentially indicates that Star Trek: Discovery season 5 will embark on a thrilling quest to uncover an immensely potent treasure with ramifications spanning the entire galaxy.