Star Trek: 10 Most Evil Things Starfleet Has Ever Done
We seek new life and new civilizations but don't make us kill you.
With the premiere of Picard on CBS All Access, audiences were introduced to a darker version of Starfleet than we’ve ever seen. There is a Romulan spy at the head of Starfleet Security and the Tal Shiar are operating death squads in the heart of San Francisco. It's even hinted in later episodes that the Federation is in league with a synth-hating cabal.
It’s easy to believe that this is the darkest time in Starfleet’s history, but, the truth is Starfleet, with all its high-minded ideals, has never been above brazen acts of evil. This is especially true during times of war.
More than once, Starfleet has acted with a shameless and wicked intent. This behavior stretches back to the era of Captain Archer and the NX-01 and occurs in every generation beyond that first warp-capable Starfleet vessel.
10. Creating A Weapon Of Mass Destruction Ironically Called The 'Genesis Device'
Don't believe what Starfleet tells you about the Genesis Device from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn.
Its creator Dr. Carol Marcus would have you think it’s a benign tool for terraforming barren planets. Just another harmless instrument of exploration. But, as Spock points out, in the wrong hands this device could be used as a weapon of immense power.
The Genesis Device breaks down a planet's surface at a subatomic level and then it reshapes those same particles into an atmosphere more suitable for humans. The problem comes when someone, maybe a genetically modified super-soldier, uses the device on a populated world.
In this case, Starfleet could, theoretically, murder an entire population. Oh, and they would get the bonus of gaining a new planet to colonize. It took Spock about three seconds to imagine this scenario and to be fair, it probably took the admirals at Starfleet even less time, so don't assume innocence here.
Genesis Device... Not evil at all, right?