8 Nero, Star Trek (2009)
The Kelvin timeline got off to an interesting start with Nero, a blue-collar villain with a brutal mining rig turned ultimate weapon. Nero had a tragic backstory and a sympathetic, if not totally insane plan for revenge, even if it was corny and cliche, but the talented Eric Bana keeps the audience engaged with a mix of polite sarcasm and outbursts of rage.
It’s a simple pattern for a bad guy, which is what makes it immersive, satisfying, and easy to follow. Unfortunately, all the villains in the Kelvin Timeline follow this exact same pattern, and it gets old fast.
7 Sybok, Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
The most dangerous villains are the ones that appear to be trustworthy, those that come with the faces of friends or family, with few combat skills and a whole lot of good intentions. The Final Frontier isn’t exactly a favorite of either critics or fans, but it has one of the most realistic villains in the series.
Sybok is Spock’s half-brother, and they were raised together as siblings. So when he told Spock about his plan to travel past the Great Barrier and visit God, his brother patted him on the head and followed his lead. This character could also be the only Star Trek baddie that had a redemption arc as he comes to understand the folly of his ways.
6 Soran, Star Trek: Generations (1994)
Soran is one of the most interesting villains in the Next Generation series of movies, and it’s more about Malcolm McDowell’s portrayal than the role itself. There’s so much focus in this movie on the fanservice for both The Original Series and TNG that everything else gets left behind, including the villain’s motive and development.
The Nexus is never really explained, just described as a mysterious ribbon of energy moving around the universe, and if a person gets swept up in it, they go to their happy place and get everything they want. Soran, who lost his family, wants to get in, so he can get them back. He’s nuts, but you can’t blame him, and we’re not exactly sure why Captain Kirk had to give his life to put a stop to his plan.
5 Valeris, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
Here’s another case of a friendly villain who also happens to be close to Spock, Valeris not a warrior or assassin but a spy, and not even a professional one. In an interesting twist, Spock tries to tell his protégé Valeris that she must listen to her heart in this case rather than relying solely on logic to assess the situation.
Rather than a lot of action scenes and interplanetary battles, this Star Trek movie is more about political intrigue than fighting, and these two Vulcans who would normally be allies find themselves on opposing sides. Viewers will recognize a variety of social metaphors here, such as the Cold War of the past or the Information Wars of the present day.
4 Kruge, Star Trek III: The Search For Spock (1984)
A foil to the cold, calculating Khan who quoted poetry, Kruge is outspoken, malicious, and he loves doubling down. This is the kind of Klingon that crosses every line the Federation draws and it’s fun to watch him do it. It also helps that he’s played to the hilt by Christopher Lloyd, who steals every scene in which he appears.
The saga of Project Genesis continues, and the Klingon Empire is one of many parties interested in the technology and Kruge is the virtual steamroller negotiating on their behalf. Good thing the equally machismo Captain Kirk is here to fight him.
3 Borg Queen, Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
Once upon a time, the Borg was a terrifying concept. The whole idea of an alien race that was human but more like computers or insects was a chilling one, and what would the leader of such a race be like?
The introduction of the Borg was part of what made TNG a good show, and the Borg Queen was the ideal villain for a feature film. The audience didn’t see more of her initially, saving most of the visuals for later in the movie, complete with threats of eternal servitude and body horror. The Borg Queen is one of the best bad guys in the Star Trek movies judging by her physical appearance alone.
2 V’Ger, Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)
We have met the enemy, and they are us, and the old saying goes. The first Star Trek movie got bogged down in a lot of wide shots of the Enterprise on the silver screen for the first time, but the idea of a human satellite evolving into something else was a novel concept, and it was equally terrifying if that satellite had malicious intentions.
Some of the most dangerous villains don’t understand the destructive implications of their actions, and although V’Ger is advanced technology its concept of morals and ethics is sorely lacking. It’s also not just a simple matter of blowing it up or unplugging the thing in order to defeat it, either.
1 Khan Noonien Singh, Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan (1982)
One of the greatest villains of all movie history, never mind the best Star Trek villain, the original Khan Noonien Singh was played to Shakespearean perfection by Ricardo Montalban. He also filled the same role in the TOS episode “Space Seed” on which this movie is based.
Unlike the first Star Trek movie, this one took a completely different tact, dumping the philosophical yappery for a cool, old-fashioned space battle that’s more Lucas than Roddenberry. It’s a battle of wits as much as one of strength and even though Khan is defeated in the end, he takes Spock with him.
