Star Trek may be a franchise all about exploring strange new worlds, but some of that strangeness wasn’t further explored. Through its many shows and movies, Star Trek has expanded on much of its sci-fi lore, from the traditions of Vulcans to the politics of Klingons. But while there might be enough detail to perform a play in the language of Klingon, there remain unresolved aspects of creatures and places the Federation has been before.
There are so many unanswered questions beyond the nitpicky aspects of how Data operates between movies. There are origins left unexplained, character fates still up in the air, and conflicts that are far too tight-lipped with the details. Whether these questions will be answered remains to be seen, but given how they’ve remained mysteries for so long, chances are low we’ll get some closure. Star Trek has some explaining to do, but it probably won’t with these mysteries.
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Where Did the Borg Come From?
The Borg are among the most dangerous collectives in all of Star Trek, yet their origins remain a mystery. The cyborg hive mind was introduced in the Next Generation episode “Q Who,” where the angered Q just plopped the Enterprise right into the Borg’s crosshairs. While The Next Generation further divulged information about the connected cyborgs traveling in giant cubes, there are still so many unanswered questions about the Borg.
Most Trek cultures establish backstories and traditions, but the Borg tend to get more focus on their functionality than on their history. The Enterprise crew will center their efforts on piercing the Borg’s shifting shield frequencies and on how to break their hive-mind mentality. But for beings with inorganic components, the question arises: who originally built them and why? That enigma of their history gives the creatures a mystique, and a revelation of their creation would probably not be that unique. We could probably assume they were a product of a culture that flew too close to the robotic sun and ended up with these cybernetic beings bent on assimilation. Still, any excuse to see and learn more about the Borg is welcomed. You’ll find no resistance from us.
5
What Happened to Sisko?
Recent Star Trek shows like Picard and Prodigy have seen the return of Captain Picard and Captain Janeway, but what of Captain Sisko? The central Federation figure of Deep Space Nine has not been seen since the final episode, when he departed with the prophets into the wormhole. Leaving behind his child, Sisko still vowed to return at some point in time, given that the prophets exist in a non-linear plane of existence.
Although Deep Space Nine brought Sisko’s story to a close, it also left the door wide open for him to return at literally any point in time. He could easily pop in for the Enterprise of Strange New Worlds or greet the newest generation with Starfleet Academy. Sisko’s return to linear reality would be exciting to witness and to hear what he learned from the prophets. There’s still time for Avery Brooks to play Sisko once again, but after being absent for 26 years and not present for a Deep Space Nine reunion on Lower Decks, we may never learn what happened to the captain. That non-linear dimension must be pretty comfy to stay there forever.
4
Did Section 31 Mess Up Turkana IV?
Turkana IV has been a fascinating planet not just for being the homeworld of Tasha Yar, but for how it descended into chaos. Civil war had apparently gripped the planet, and lawlessness made it infested with criminals and violence, where it was nearly impossible to escape. The planet has rarely been mentioned past The Next Generation, especially since the unfortunate death of Tasha Yar.
There was an opportunity to explain the planet’s descent into war through the pilot film, Section 31. The movie ended with the Section 31 crew being called for a task on Turkana IV. Such a development would have implied that Section 31 was involved in destabilizing the planet. The story might have been explored, but the dismal critical response to the Section 31 pilot film brought that tantalizing mission to a close before it ever began. We may still get a better explanation of the rocky history behind Turkana IV, but it won’t be with Michelle Yeoh and her crew of misfits.
3
Will the Neural Parasites Ever Return?
Debuting in a Season 1 episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, “Conspiracy,” the neural parasites were some of the nastiest creatures encountered by the Starship Enterprise. The parasites are clever in how they possess the bodies of senior Starfleet officers, but little else is known about them. Their plot involved a homing beacon that could have attracted more of their kind, but Picard put a stop to that scheme.
“Conspiracy” is notable for being so gruesome that it was banned in the UK, and, in all fairness, it was one of the most violent episodes of The Next Generation. While we may never witness a scene of phasers being used to explode parasite-infested human heads, we’ll also probably never learn more about the parasites. The questions of where they came from and what they desired beyond surviving in host bodies remain unanswered. After serving their purpose of being an infiltrating bug force, the parasites may never come back. Still, the parasites would be a welcome revival should a Star Trek show decide to go more for monstrous body horror.
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Who Built the Doomsday Machine?
The Doomsday Machine is one of the most dangerous and massive creations ever to fight the Starship Enterprise in Star Trek: The Original Series. Little is known about that giant structure outside its ability to destroy star systems, and an exploding starship from within is the only way to stop it. The Enterprise succeeded in ending the Doomsday Machine’s carnage, but the crew speculates there could be more of them somewhere in space.
The Doomsday Machine has appeared in a Star Trek novel, a video game, and fan-made projects, but not in an official Trek show or movie. The novel Vendetta, written by Peter David, revealed that this machine was utilized by an alien race to counter the destructive force of the Borg. But even if you consider the book canon, the Doomsday Machines remain mysterious because they’re built somewhere outside the galactic barrier. A Federation crew figuring out the mystery behind this giant weapon could make for a great Star Trek movie.
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What Became of the Dominion After the War?
The Dominion War was one of the most thrilling arcs in Deep Space Nine, let alone any Star Trek show. By the end of the series, the Dominion has surrendered to the defending forces of the Federation, Klingons, and Romulans. With the war resolved and a treaty signed, we never learned what happened afterward. It feels as though there’s a whole other season that could be developed from the aftermath of that brutal conflict that ended many lives and left the fate of others up in the air.
It is very unsatisfying that the Dominion lived happily and quietly ever after with a Federation treaty. What makes this lack of an epilogue so frustrating relates to the very premise of Deep Space Nine. Before the Dominion War, the show explored the rift between the Cardassians and the Bajorans, with the occupying Cardassians leaving the war-ravaged planet of Bajor. Old wounds never fully healed in the show, as with Kira’s trauma of the war and Odo being complicit with the Cardassians at their worst. There are plenty of wounds left over from the Dominion War, and it feels like a waste never to explore that aspect further.
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