10 Star Trek Movie Female Characters Who Only Appeared Once

Star Trek films have established a curious trend of introducing new female characters who are never seen again after their initial appearance. After the successful transition of Star Trek: The Original Series to the big screen, it only made sense to add more women to the final frontier. Creator Gene Roddenberry’s original vision for Star Trek involved more women than TOS actually included, but progressive attitudes in the 1970s and 1980s led to creating new female characters in prominent roles for Star Trek movies. Star Trek: The Next Generation‘s films continued adding new female characters to the franchise, as did J.J. Abrams’ Kelvin Timeline movies.

In keeping with Star Trek‘s commitment to creating whole characters regardless of gender, each of these women is a unique and well-defined character, though the significance of their roles in each Star Trek film may vary. In most cases, there’s a good reason that they’re limited to a single outing in the Star Trek universe. The Star Trek movies’ plots may not allow for their returns, with some women’s stories coming to a fitting end within the runtime of a single film. In other cases, however, it would be interesting to see where the future could have taken these new female Star Trek characters.

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10 Lieutenant Ilia (Persis Khambatta)

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Lieutenant Ilia was the Deltan navigator of the USS Enterprise in Star Trek: The Motion Picture. As a Deltan, Ilia was required to swear an oath of celibacy before entering Starfleet, due to Deltan sexuality posing a psychological risk to other Starfleet officers, as was nearly the case with Ilia’s former lover, Captain Will Decker (Stephen Collins). Ilia’s esper abilities made her an excellent navigator, but also led to Ilia’s ultimate fate of being absorbed by the V’ger probe after it had attained sentience. Ilia was officially logged as missing in action rather than killed, but that still prevented Ilia from returning for any Star Trek sequels.

9 Dr. Carol Marcus (Bibi Besch)

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Dr. Carol Marcus was a lead scientist on Project Genesis in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, and developed Project Genesis and the Genesis Device that created “life from lifelessness”, turning matter into Class-M planets suitable for life. Sharply intelligent, independent, and assertive, Carol was also a former lover of Admiral James T. Kirk (William Shatner), and mother of Kirk’s son, David (Merritt Butrick). There were plans to include Carol Marcus in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, but writer Harve Bennett ultimately opted to cut Carol’s scenes from the film due to budget and story constraints.

8 Dr. Gillian Taylor (Catherine Hicks)

Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home

In Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, the USS Enterprise crew enlisted the aid of Dr. Gillian Taylor, assistant director of the Cetacean Institute in 1980s San Francisco, to bring two humpback whales to the future. Gillian met Admiral Kirk and Spock (Leonard Nimoy) with measured acceptance despite professional skepticism, since they also prioritized the care of whales George and Gracie. Dr. Taylor accompanied the crew to the 23rd century as the lone expert on humpback whales in a time when no others existed. Gillian Taylor was assigned to a science vessel after arriving in the future, so could have reappeared in a future Star Trek installment, but never did.

7 Caithlin Dar (Cynthia Gouw)

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier

Caithlin Dar was an easy-going and fashionable Romulan ambassador who defied established Romulan stereotypes. As a delegate to Paradise City in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Caithlin’s hope for peace between the Romulan Star Empire, the Klingon Empire, and the Federation further set her apart from other Romulans. Caithlin survived being manipulated by Sybok (Laurence Luckinbill) in his quest to discover the mythical Sha Ka Ree, and was included in the final reception at the end of Star Trek V. As an atypical Romulan, Caithlin Dar would have been an interesting player in Star Trek‘s ongoing political landscape if she had returned.

6 Lieutenant Valeris (Kim Cattrall)

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

Lieutenant Valeris was the first Vulcan to graduate at the top of her class from Starfleet Academy, where she was mentored by Captain Spock (Leonard Nimoy), but Valeris’ greater impact is in her betrayal of Starfleet as part of the Khitomer Conspiracy in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Valeris believed peace with the Klingons was not logical, so framed Kirk and Dr. Leonard McCoy (DeForest Kelley) for the murder of Klingon Chancellor Gorkon (David Warner) to undermine the upcoming peace conference. After Kirk and McCoy escaped the Klingon prison Rura Penthe, Valeris’ crimes were revealed via Spock’s mind meld, and Valeris was arrested, preventing her from further appearances.

5 Lily Sloane (Alfre Woodard)

Star Trek: First Contact

A 21st-century associate of Dr. Zefram Cochrane (James Cromwell), Lily Sloane helped Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) fight the Borg in Star Trek: First Contact. Lily’s civilian status meant she could speak frankly to Picard, and after observing how relentlessly Picard pursued the Borg onboard the Enterprise, Lily identified Jean-Luc’s true motive of mindless revenge, comparing Picard to Moby Dick‘s Captain Ahab. Lily Sloane’s intervention was instrumental in shifting Picard’s mindset, leading to victory against the Borg and the successful launch of the Phoenix. Unlike Dr. Taylor, Lily Sloane remained in her own time, so she didn’t return to Star Trek.

4 Anij (Donna Murphy)

Star Trek: Insurrection

Anij was a leader among the Ba’ku in Star Trek: Insurrection, kept eternally young thanks to the regenerative power of the Ba’ku homeworld’s metaphasic radiation. Initially suspicious of outsiders, Anij became a love interest for Captain Jean-Luc Picard as the USS Enterprise-E crew helped the Ba’ku retaliate against the Son’a and Starfleet conspiracy to relocate the Ba’ku and take over their planet. Intelligent and insightful, Anij was a strong match for Jean-Luc, but Anij’s responsibility to the Ba’ku and Picard’s loyalty to Starfleet meant their romance was destined to be short-lived. It’s implied Jean-Luc returned to the Briar Patch for a visit after Star Trek: Insurrection, but Anij was never seen again.

3 Commander Donatra (Dina Meyer)

Star Trek: Nemesis

Commander Donatra’s initial role in Star Trek: Nemesis was as an advisor to Shinzon (Tom Hardy), the Picard clone that Donatra and Commander Suran (Jude Ciccolella) installed as Praetor of the Romulan Star Empire. When Shinzon unexpectedly betrayed the Romulans with plans to destroy Earth, Donatra allied herself with Captain Picard and the Enterprise to eliminate Shinzon as a mutual threat. Nemesis‘ poor reception closed the door to future Star Trek: The Next Generation movies, but Picard’s personal mission helping Romulans in Star Trek: Picard could have allowed for Donatra’s return.

2 Dr. Carol Marcus (Alice Eve)

Star Trek Into Darkness

Dr. Carol Marcus in Star Trek Into Darkness is a younger version of her Prime Universe counterpart, and a physicist specializing in advanced weaponry. Dr. Marcus arrived with a personal mission to locate missing torpedoes, which were given to Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) by Carol’s father, Admiral Alexander Marcus (Peter Weller). Despite being the subject of the male gaze, Carol still matched Kirk’s wit and independence, and joined the Enterprise crew by the end of Star Trek Into Darkness. The teased Carol and Kirk romance never continued in the Kelvin Timeline, however, because Carol Marcus left the crew before Star Trek Into Darkness’ follow-up, Star Trek Beyond.

1 Jaylah (Sofia Boutella)

Star Trek Beyond

After surviving an attack by Krall (Idris Elba), alien scavenger and delightful badass Jaylah lived in the husk of the crashed USS Franklin on Altamid, where she initiated friendships with fellow strandees Captain James T. Kirk and Montgomery Scott (Simon Pegg), who helped restore the Franklin. As an outsider who found comfort and hope in Starfleet, Jaylah brought heart, humor, and sheer tenacity to the Enterprise crew, and overcame personal trauma to help defeat Krall. Jaylah’s decision to join Starfleet promised her return in future Star Trek movies, but Beyond was the last film in the Kelvin Timeline, so Jaylah has yet to return to Star Trek.

While each of these new female Star Trek characters only appeared in one movie, they all contributed something to the larger tapestry of the Star Trek franchise in their single appearances. From allies to enemies, scientists to scavengers, the women in Star Trek movies represented a wide range of character types and temperaments, with a variety of motives and roles within their movies’ plots. It may be unlikely that any will ever return to Star Trek as the series continues, but as the future remains unwritten, new stories could provide opportunities for second appearances or new incarnations of memorable women in Star Trek movies.