Star Trek: 10 Characters Who MUST Return (2024)

9. Lily Sloane

Star Trek Lily Sloane
Paramount PIctures

Though history tends to deify Zefram Cochrane for breaking the warp barrier, not least in the entire amusement park (complete with statue and replica Phoenix in Bozeman, Montana), there has been a person who has been quietly erased from that same history. There was more than one seat in that cockpit, so how has the world forgotten Lily Sloane so quickly?

Lily was brought to life by Alfre Woodard in Star Trek: First Contact, quickly establishing herself as one of the best guest stars in the film franchise. Her exchange in the Observation Lounge with Picard is now a thing of legend, but her place in Trek’s history deserves more acclaim. 

Star Trek: Lower Decks may seem the best place to bring the character back to life. With the park already in existence in the show, another quick trip to Bozeman to rectify this wrong would be a simple thing. Sloane quite literally saved humanity, not simply from the Borg, but from the trauma they inflicted on a bitterly hurt captain who needed a guiding hand. Could she be our ‘tough love’ counsellor for a new batch of recruits?

In this post: 
Star Trek
 
Posted On: 
Contributor
Contributor

Seán is the host and head writer/presenter for TrekCulture, as well as a writer/presenter on WhoCulture and WhatCulture Horror. He has authored two novels, dozens of short stories, and hundreds of articles for WhatCulture. He holds a Master of Arts in Creative Writing from University College Dublin. As part of his work with TrekCulture, Seán has been invited to participate in collaborations with Roddenberry Entertainment, as well as contributing to several Star Trek community projects. An avid fan of Star Trek, Doctor Who, and the horror genre at large, Seán's expertise has helped develop these channels to the successes they are today. As host of the Ups & Downs series on TrekCulture, Seán has become internationally recognised for his positive yet critically informed approach to reviewing every episode of modern Star Trek, ensuring he is one of the go-to voices in the Trek community. Favourite Quote to describe himself: "I'm serious about what I do, just not always about the way that I do it"