Star Trek: 20 Supporting Characters That Deserved More

9. Dana Gamble

We're still not quite over the tragic fate of Ensign Dana Gamble in Strange New Worlds, so bear with us...

He was introduced as an optimistic, charming and promising young nurse, and thanks to the wonderful performance of Chris Myers, we immediately wanted more. And yet, there was something nagging in the back of our minds...Gamble might well be wearing a white shirt, but the spattering of coy appearances had red shirt written all over it.

And much to our horror, on his very first away mission, Gamble's eyes were burned out and his body possessed by an evil entity. Now, even as Star Trek fates go, that's pretty shocking. And our complaints are twofold.

Why did they have to take an endearing, wholesome character and subject him to such a fate? Poor Gamble had barely found his feet in the few episodes he was with us. And if Gamble really did have to be the one to not-volunteer as tribute, at the very least, let us hang out with him for a while before he goes.

Let us share the friendships, dreams and adventures of this young officer, so that losing him becomes a touching part of his story rather than just a horror show. We understand that drama requires some characters to suffer unpleasant fates, but it becomes frustrating when we don't get the chance to fully enjoy them first.