Star Trek Characters That Must Return (2026)

2. T'Pol

Another annual entrant to this list is Jolene Blalock's T'Pol, though recent lists have been blessed. She returned in Star Trek: Lower Decks, with the penultimate episode featuring not one but two names on this list. For fans of Enterprise, hearing Jolene's voice once again was music to their ears.

For this return, perhaps we're being a bit greedy. After all, T'Pol (or at least one version of her) has already returned, so what's the problem? To be clear, there's no problem with having her return in animated form. It was a wonderful, fun, and shocking surprise. However, and we will take the moniker of being greedy fans here, Strange New Worlds is still crying out for a live-action return.

We should qualify this with a return in any live-action form would be incredible, but, for this particular Vulcan, Strange New Worlds (or Year One) would make the most sense. Simply put, the T'Pol could return, thanks to the long lives of Vulcans in Star Trek. If Jonathan Archer was present at the launch of the Enterprise, then why not T'Pol, also?

On our list of Crazy Ideas For S4 & 5 of Strange New Worlds, we expressed our hope for a flashback, showing Robert April commanding the Enterprise. If we are heading into the endgame for this era of Trek, then the window is closing for T'Pol's return. We would of course never say no, but those time periods where it would make the most sense are beginning to fade.

Having said that, did anyone expect the return of Jake Sisko in Starfleet Academy? Never say never.