7 of the Best STAR TREK Scenes Ever Filmed
With all of the fervor for the new Star Trek movie coming out next year, I thought now might be a good time to revisit the old shows and movies that made the franchise great. I’ve put together a list of seven of my favorite Star Trek scenes. It is by no means definitive, and there are many more I could have included. But you have to stop somewhere. So here are seven picks, in no particular order, and YouTube videos for each. If you’re not already a long-time fan, you might not want to read ahead: Here be spoilers!
List after the jump.
Captain Sisko’s monologue - “In the Pale Moonlight”. Captain Sisko agonizes over the difficult choices he had to make to save the Federation and her allies.
- Why is it great? This scene epitomizes what it was that made Deep Space Nine such a great show during its final seasons: Moral people grappling with dark, desperate situations. Besides, this is some damn fine acting from Avery Brooks.
Spock’s death - The Wrath of Khan. Spock sacrifices himself to save the Enterprise, and Kirk speaks to him during his last moments of life.
- Why is it great? It’s one of the most emotional scenes Star Trek ever offered. The bond between the two characters is palpable, and the moment is completely sincere.
There are four lights! - “The Chain of Command, Part Two”. After torturing him mercilessly for days, a Cardassian interrogator makes one last attempt to break Picard. He fails.
- Why is it great? One of the most powerful examples of Picard’s strength, this is also an utterly convincing treatment on the effects of torture–the fact that anyone can break, given enough pressure. Most telling is a moment after the scene when Picard admits to Troi that despite his refusal to break, he did, indeed, see five lights.
Tribbles bury Kirk - “The Trouble with Tribbles”. After much finagling with the controls, Captain Kirk finally gets a cargo compartment to open, only to be drenched in tribbles.
- Why is it great? It’s an iconic scene from the original series, featuring a very wry and bedraggled Kirk dealing with a pushy bureaucrat while buried in tribbles, both dead and alive. Comedy gold, and a perfect example of the Kirk-Spock-McCoy chemistry that made the series so fun to watch.
Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra - “Darmok”. Alien starship captain Darmok and Captain Picard tell stories together while trapped on an alien planet, and Picard finally begins to understand his new friend’s culture.
- Why is it great? There’s going to be a pattern with The Next Generation entries in this list: They all feature Patrick Stewart doing some damn fine acting. This scene is both poignant and perhaps the best example of what The Next Generation tried to do so often over its seven year run: Depict alien cultures and the way the show’s human characters try to understand them.
Kirk lets Edith Keeler die to preserve history - “The City on the Edge of Forever”. Kirk is forced to sacrifice the woman he loves to save history.
- Why is it great? One of Star Trek’s first time travel stories is also one of its finest. In the climactic scene, Kirk is forced to make one of the most difficult decisions he could be asked to make. And he does.
The line must be drawn here! - First Contact. Faced with the Borg’s impending assimilation of the Enterprise, Picard refuses to initiate self-destruct and destroy the ship.
- Why is it great? Not only does this scene feature more great acting from Patrick Stewart, it also delves deep into Picard’s character, using his lust for revenge as a conduit to study the debilitating effects of the emotion as a whole.
2 Responses to “7 of the Best STAR TREK Scenes Ever Filmed”
Very nice, Christian! Great blend of the various series & movies.
Thanks, Gray! I could probably have gone on even longer. I’m just that much of a nerd.
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