The Star Trek franchise is renowned for presenting an optimistic view of the future, where humanity has overcome its tendencies towards violence, hatred, and bigotry. Earth has adopted an attitude of openness, acceptance, and love, creating a Federation of like-minded planets that devote themselves to galactic exploration.
In all their travels, the crews of various starships and starbases have not only sought new life and new civilizations in outer space but love and harmony within comfortable and stable relationships. The result has been some of the most popular and long-lasting couples to ever grace the franchise.
Lieutenant Ilia and Captain Decker
![The 10 Best Couples In Star Trek, Ranked](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Star-Trek-The-Motion-Picture-Decker-Joins-with-Ilia-VGer.jpg)
Star Trek: The Motion Picture met a lukewarm reception from most fans, mostly due to its slow and plodding narrative and high-concept plot. However, one of the highlights of the film was the introduction of new characters like the Deltan navigator, Lieutenant Ilia, and Captain William Decker.
Interesting and dynamic in their own rights, another layer of intrigue was added when it was revealed the two had a previous romantic relationship. Decker’s decision to join V’Ger and thus, Ilia, at the climax of the film not only created a new life form but established them as one of the more interesting couples in the Star Trek universe.
Odo and Kira
![Star Trek DS9 Odo Kira](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/DSN-ODO-KIRA.jpg)
Star Trek usually contains one member of the cast who plays the role of an alien “outsider” who must learn to navigate life amongst humans. The original series had Spock, Next Generation had Data, Voyager had Seven-of-Nine and Deep Space Nine had Odo, the changeling Founder.
Although Odo could morph into any shape or form, he had difficulty dealing with his emotions and adapting to social situations. That is until he finally managed to profess his love for Major Kira. Their relationship was based on mutual respect and love and helped Odo become a more fully realized individual.
Benjamin Sisko and Cassidy Yates
![Deep Space Nine - Nejamin Sisko and Cassidy yates kiss](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Star-Trek-Ds9-Sisko-and-Yates.jpg)
Watching his wife die in battle with the Borg was beyond traumatic for Benjamin Sisko, who spent years bottling his rage and grief following Wolf 359. Finally able to move past that experience when he encountered the Bajoran prophets, Sisko slowly became open to the idea of meeting someone else and moving on with his life.
Encountering freighter captain Cassidy Yates gave Sisko the opportunity to once again share his life with a romantic partner. Possessed of a fearless and passionate demeanor, Yates was every bit Sisko’s match in terms of strength of character, and the development of their relationship was interesting to watch.
Worf and K’Ehleyr
![Captain Worf Star Trek](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Captain-Worf-Star-Trek.jpg)
When audiences first encountered the female Klingon ambassador, K’Ehleyr, they were taken aback by her stunning good looks and jovial, even comedic, demeanor. Partly due to her half-human nature and partly due to the character’s portrayal by the talented and affable Susie Plakson, K’Ehleyr quickly became a fan favorite.
Her passionate on-again/off-again relationship with Worf was multifaceted and layered, having an intricate past that was complicated further by Worf’s discommendation by the Klingon High Council and the birth of his son, Alexander. Unfortunately, K’Ehleyr’s tragic death cut short their promising, if not tumultuous, relationship.
Captain Kirk and Edith Keeler
![Kirk and Eidth Keeler looking up in Star Trek](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Star-Trek-Captain-Kirk-and-Edith-Keeler.jpg)
In what is widely regarded as the best episode of the original series, “The City on the Edge of Forever” follows Mr. Spock and Captain Kirk as they chase a renegade Dr. McCoy through an alien time portal. Landing in Depression-era New York, Spock and Kirk must keep McCoy from somehow radically altering history.
Eventually, the duo surmises that Edith Keeler, a visionary social worker who Captain Kirk has fallen in love with, must die to preserve the timeline. Captain Kirk and Edith Keeler’s tragic love story has proven narratively significant and poignant to the Star Trek franchise.
Chief O’Brien and Keiko
![](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/TNG-Datas-Day-Keiko-OBrien-Wedding.jpg)
When Star Trek: The Next Generation premiered, it boasted an all-new crew for a much larger USS Enterprise. As well, it was innovative in that this Enterprise allowed children and families aboard. This opened up a whole new level of storytelling for the series, which could explore interpersonal relationships and family dynamics in a space-age setting.
Following Chief O’Brien and Keiko’s relationship from their wedding to the birth of their daughter to their move to Deep Space Nine was an eye-opening look as to how romance and marriage would unfold in the 24th century.
Paul Stamets and Hugh Culber
![Stamets and Culber in Star Trek: Discovery](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/stamets-culberjpg.jpg)
The Star Trek universe is one in which beings of all shapes and sizes come together in the spirit of friendship and cooperation, celebrating each other’s differences and working together to achieve a common goal. However, it took Star Trek more than fifty years to present its first openly gay couple in prominent roles, due in large part to contemporary social norms and taboos.
Thankfully, Discovery’s inclusion of Paul Stamets and High Culber’s marriage as part of the narrative and not as a “special episode” one-off normalizes their relationship. Their interaction is true and genuine, highlighting just how much in love these two characters are.
Tom Paris and B’Elanna Torres
![Tom and B'Elanna kiss](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Star-Trek-Voyager-Paris-and-Torres.jpg)
Life on a starship is complicated enough, much less when you’re seventy-thousand light years away from home. Hopelessly stranded in the Delta Quadrant, the crew of the Voyager had to come to terms with the fact that it would be seventy-five years before they saw their significant others.
Some crew members found love and comfort amongst each other, like Tom Paris and B’Elanna Torres. Their relationship was often equally fraught with complications as well as passion, which ultimately made it more relatable. This made their bond that much stronger as they welcomed their daughter, Miral, into the world.
Worf and Jadzia Dax
![DS9 Worf and Dax](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Star-Trek-Couples-Worf-and-Jadzia-Dax.jpg)
For a non-Klingon, engaging in a relationship with a Klingon warrior is a daunting task, as the individual in question would have to be physically and mentally strong, proficient in combat, passionate, and steeped in honor. Luckily for Worf, he met just such an individual in the Trill Jadzia Dax when he joined Deep Space Nine.
The beginning of their relationship bloomed very passionately (and violently, as per Klingon mating rituals), and although they had their rough spots, their devotion and love for each other culminated in marriage. Unfortunately, Worf once again experienced the loss of his mate when Gul Dukat killed Jadzia after being possessed by a Pah-Wraith.
William Riker and Deanna Troi
![](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Star-Trek-Nemesis-Deanna-Troi-William-Riker-wedding.jpg)
By far the most storied romance in Star Trek canon is that between William Riker and Deanna Troi. Having had a previous relationship before finding themselves serving aboard the USS Enterprise as First Officer and Counsellor, respectively, the two enjoyed a close and comfortable relationship as friends and colleagues. As the years went by, the two rekindled their romance and got married.
They were blessed with two children, Thaddeus and Kestra, though Thad tragically died from a neurological disease. Though these characters were a surface reworking of Lt. Ilia and Captain Decker, Riker and Troi quickly became distinguishable in their own right as individuals and as Imzadi.