Star Trek: 10 First Contacts We Need To See

10. Federation-Medusan

The Medusans are one of the most distinctive alien species in all of Star Trek, introduced in The Original Series episode Is There in Truth No Beauty? Rather than literal petrification, any human who looked upon the full form of this non-corporeal energy being suffered complete insanity and often died soon thereafter. Certain species had less severe reactions to exposure: if you were a Vulcan, and didn't forget your visor, you'd normally be fine to take a peek.

Hitching a ride back to their homeworld, the Medusan ambassador to the Federation came aboard the Enterprise in 2268. Captain Kirk, crew, Doctor Jones (… Jones, calling Doctor Jones), and Larry 'Murder' Marvick were already eminently familiar with the species, down to the Medusans' exemplary navigational abilities, suggesting that first contact had happened quite some time prior.

Given the extreme danger posed by even the reflection of the true form of a Medusan, it's commendable that the species had managed to make first contact with anyone at all. We know the Medusans had ships of their own by the mid-23rd century, so it is perhaps more likely, and no doubt more practical, that they made the first moves with humanity and/or the Federation. Or, perhaps the Vulcans met them first and included them in their database as fair warning for Starfleet back in the day of the NX-01. Still, we can't help but wonder if humans in particular had to find out the madness in the Medusans the hard way.