One of the most important aspects of Star Trek is the idea that we can connect with lifeforms that at first seem to be nothing but monsters. But sometimes, Star Trek delivers extraterrestrial creatures that prove to be utterly irredeemable.
For this week’s Trek Tuesday, we’re boldly going where only the foolish would go. Here are seven Star Trek horrors from beyond the stars. Did we include your favorite? Be sure and let us know in the comment section.
Mugato
Our first entry is the Mugato. This venomous ape-like creature first appeared in Star Trek: The Original Series season 2’s “A Private Little War.” In addition to introducing the fearsome Gumato Mugato, “A Private Little War” explores a moral quandary involving a pre-warp society that has been introduced to Klingon weaponry.
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However, the Mugato has a long and interesting legacy. It has reappeared on Star Trek: Lower Decks, playing an integral role in season 2’s “Mugato, Gumato.” But the Mugato’s legacy extends beyond the boundaries of our favorite sci-fi Franchise. The 2001 comedy Zoolander‘s primary antagonist, Jacobim Mugatu (Will Ferrell), is named after the Mugato. Mugatos… they’re so hot right now.
Armus
One of the most infamous entries on this list, Armus (Mart McChesney; voiced by Ron Gans) was introduced in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1’s “Skin of Evil.” Armus looks like a humanoid who has risen out of a tar pit. When Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) is captured by Armus, an away team led by Chief of Security Tasha Yar (Denise Crosby) is dispatched on a rescue mission. But while Troi is eventually saved, Yar is killed in action during the mission.
Regrettably, many security officers on a Starfleet ship would likely fall to unsuspecting threats like Armus. Nevertheless, Trekkies are still sore about Yar’s death. This is literally decades later, even after a parallel version of the character was shown to survive in TNG season 3’s “Yesterday’s Enterprise.” And fortunately, Data (Brent Spiner) is shown to keep Yar Prime’s memory close to his heart in Star Trek: Picard season 3’s “Surrender.” Finally, in Lower Decks season 2’s “The Spy Humongous,” Beta Shift gets some petty revenge on the Skin of Evil himself using a casting stone.
Pah-wraith
In the later seasons of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) begins his ascension to higher power. But any massively powerful hero needs an equally potent adversary to balance the narrative scales. Enter the Pah-wraiths. These malignant non-corporeal entities reside in the fire caves of Bajor. However, they can send visions into peoples’ heads in order to manipulate them.
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But what makes them really dangerous is their ability to possess familiar characters and Trojan Horse their way into some serious havoc. In season 5’s “The Assignment,” one possesses Keiko O’Brien (Rosalind Chao). In season 6’s “Tears of the Prophets,” Gul Dukat (Marc Alaimo) is possessed by a Pah-wraith, subsequently murdering beloved science officer Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell). As you can imagine, Trekkies aren’t forgiving or forgetting this, either!
Telepathic Pitcher Plant
In Star Trek: Voyager season 5’s “Bliss,” the USS Voyager almost gets devoured by a telepathic space plant! The unsuspecting starship is lured in by a deception that makes Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) believe the creature is a wormhole back to Earth from the Delta Quadrant.
However, it is soon revealed that the “telepathic pitcher plant” psychically manipulates a ship’s crew so as to consume the ship. Ultimately, Voyager and its crew are able to avoid being consumed. However, Qatai (W. Morgan Sheppard), another wayward spacefarer trapped inside the plant, is unable to escape this grisly fate.
Murder Planet
In the first half of Star Trek: Prodigy season 1, the crew of the USS Protostar may be inexperienced. However, that doesn’t mean they don’t face some full-sized threats right out of the gate! In Prodigy season 1’s “Dream Catcher” and “Terror Firma,” Captain Dal R’El (Brett Gray) and his crew encounter their first M-Class planet. However, the nickname Jankom Pog (Jason Mantzoukas) bestows upon it, “Murder Planet,” seems quite apt!
RELATED: Catch up with all of our Star Trek: Prodigy recaps by clicking here.
The “Murder Planet” uses spores to access and simulate the dreams and nightmares of those who make the mistake of setting down on its surface. Once they’ve been sufficiently lulled, the planet grabs ahold of its victims with creepy mushroom tendrils. And worst of all, the planet is omnivorous, meaning it is interested in consuming organic and inorganic materials alike. It is advisable that you steer clear of this carnivorous planet!
Tuscadian Pyrosome
In the Star Trek: Discovery season 4 episode “All is Possible,” Professor Sylvia Tilly (Mary Wiseman) and a crew of Starfleet Academy cadets crash land on the moon “Kokytos.” This moon is named for one of the rivers of the underworld in Classic mythology. Unfortunately for Tilly and the Cadets, this name proves to be just as apt as “Murder Planet” did for the previous entry!
This is because Kokytos is home to the Tuscadian pyrosome, a fearsome colony creature and apex predator. Because they feed on bioluminescent crustaceans, pyrosomes are drawn to the electromagnetic signatures of Starfleet technology. Described by Tilly as a “jellyfish from Hell,” the pyrosome possesses the ability to split itself into parts in order to pursue multiple quarries simultaneously. And the cherry on top of the replicated sundae? Living below the ice on Kokytos has granted the pyrosome an evolutionary advantage that protects it against phaser fire. Just say “no thanks” to every part of this colony creature!
Moopsy
The Moopsy is a small, white creature with adorable sparkly eyes and limbs so short it has to scoot along on its belly. It has an adorable voice and only says “Moopsy.” And did we mention that it drinks bones? We’re pretty sure we mentioned that already.
RELATED: Catch up with all of Star Trek: Lower Decks recaps here.
The Moopsy is the most dangerous creature in Lower Decks season 2’s “I Have No Bones, Yet I Must Flee.” It’s even more dangerous than the Pyrithian swamp gobbler. And those things evolved on that same planet as those horrible bats. What do you do if you see a Moopsy coming your way? Running is recommended, but what’s absolutely necessary is that you quickly make personal peace with the Cosmic Koala. Moopsy!
All of these Star Trek shows are currently available for streaming on Paramount+, except Star Trek: Prodigy season 1, which is currently available for streaming on Netflix.
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