10 Best Star Trek Cold Opens
7. Commander T'Pol (Twilight)
Enterprise's third season was a game-changer for the show. While time has certainly helped the first two years gain momentum and audience appreciation, it was the Xindi Arc that truly breathed fresh life into the series. Twilight was an outstanding episode in an outstanding season, taking the idea of 'there but for the grace' to a new level.
Before the twist was revealed after the opening credits, Archer wakes up in his bed, with the ship in the middle of a dog fight. Confused, he stumbles to the bridge - to find T'Pol, now clad in a Starfleet Commander's uniform, sitting in the captain's chair. He's understandably a little confused - that's where his bum normally goes, after all - but neither have any time to dwell.
Though she quickly orders him to return to his quarters, a Xindi superweapon arrives and destroys Earth. Yes, Earth, that same planet that Enterprise is from, and the same one the crew was spending the entire season attempting to defend. In a heatbeat, it implodes, sending huge chunks of rock hurtling into space, dooming all who were still down below.
It's a hell of a way to start an episode, thought Russell Watson is there to cool the panicked hordes down only a moment later!