One Star Trek: The Next Generation episode features genetically created children, and makes no mention of the United Federation of Planets’ ban on genetic engineering. In the 1960s when Star Trek: The Original Series was airing, TV shows were not as concerned with establishing or maintaining a consistent canon. As the television landscape has changed over the years, franchises like Star Trek have placed more emphasis on maintaining continuity. In its later seasons, TNG began establishing a more consistent Star Trek canon, but the show was still establishing itself in its first two seasons.
In Star Trek: The Next Generation season 2, episode 7, “Unnatural Selection,” Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and the crew of the USS Enterprise-D visit the Darwin Genetic Research Station. The scientists on this station have created a group of genetically enhanced children who possess superior strength and impenetrable immune systems, as well as telekinesis and telepathy. Despite these children all being under the age of 12, they appear much older. Dr. Katherine Pulaski (Diana Muldaur) even suggests these children may be “the future of humanity.” Captain Picard expresses skepticism about this claim, but he makes no mention of any ban on genetic engineering.
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Star Trek’s Ban On Genetic Engineering Wasn’t Established Yet In TNG Season 2
In TOS and the early days of TNG, Star Trek canon was somewhat inconsistent.
Captain Picard did not mention the Federation’s ban on genetic engineering in TNG’s “Unnatural Selection” because that element of Star Trek canon had yet to be established. Star Trek’s first mention of genetically enhanced, or augmented, humans came in Star Trek: The Original Series. In TOS season 1, episode 22, “Space Seed,” Captain James Kirk (William Shatner) and his crew encounter a ship of augmented humans held in stasis. The leader of these humans is Khan Noonien-Singh (Ricardo Montalban), a tyrant who had subjugated around one-fourth of the Earth’s population. Khan’s rise to power eventually led to the devastating Eugenics Wars, which in turn, led to the ban on genetic engineering.
Star Trek has not given an exact date for when the Federation banned genetic engineering, but a line from Star Trek: Enterprise season 4, episode 15, “Affliction,” states the ban was established “decades” before 2154. This would place the ban well before the timeline of Star Trek: The Next Generation. While TNG’s “Unnatural Selection” seems to conflict with this, it’s possible the Darwin Station could have received special permission from Starfleet. Regardless, the augmented children seen in “Unnatural Selection” are never mentioned again, perhaps because they transmitted a disease that killed dozens of Starfleet officers.
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Several beloved Star Trek characters have been genetically enhanced.
Several Star Trek shows have featured characters who were genetically enhanced, despite the Federation’s ban on the practice. In one of Dr. Julian Bashir’s best episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, “Doctor Bashir, I Presume?” Julian is revealed to be genetically enhanced. Bashir had struggled with learning as a child, and his parents sent him to a clinic for treatments that would improve his intellect and physical health. After this information gets out, Julian plans to resign from Starfleet, but his father takes the fall for him.
Dal R’El (Brett Gray) on Star Trek: Prodigy is also the product of genetic manipulation, as he discovers in Prodigy season 1, episode 15, “Masquerade.” For most of the season, Dal has no idea what species he is or who his parents are. He learns that he is actually a hybrid of many different species, including human and Vulcan, and that he was created by protégés of Dr. Arik Soong (Brent Spiner).
In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Number One (Rebecca Romijn) reveals herself to be an Illyrian, meaning she was genetically enhanced before birth. When Starfleet finds out about Una’s illegal genetic status, she is taken into custody and court-martialed. In her trial, the morality of the Federation’s augment ban is brought into question, and although Una wins her individual trial, Star Trek’s ban on genetic engineering remains in effect for years to come.
- Cast
- Patrick Stewart , Marina Sirtis , Brent Spiner , Jonathan Frakes , LeVar Burton , Wil Wheaton
- Seasons
- 7
- Franchise(s)
- Star Trek
- Showrunner
- Gene Roddenberry
