10 Best Star Trek: Enterprise Episodes Not About The Main Cast

This three-part story from Enterprise's fourth season sees Brent Spiner guest star as Arik Soong, a distant ancestor of the more famous Dr. Noonian Soong. This particular family member is less interested in robotics as he is with eugenics, which even in Archer's time is a field of study expressly forbidden by Starfleet.

This story was significant in a number of ways. First, the return of Spiner to the franchise is a welcome one. Arik Soong is a far less likable version of Spiner than the audience had yet seen, played with obvious enjoyment by the Trek alumnus. Second, Malik and the rest of the Augments are a crucial footnote in Star Trek's history. While Khan would be the best example as to why DNA augmentation could have disastrous consequences, the actions of these Augments would have far-reaching ramifications for Star Trek's history.

Their existence was technically part of the decision to put Julian Bashir's father in jail for seeking illegal gene sequencing for his son, while the Augment gene would be seized by the Klingon Empire, leading to a drastic aesthetic change for the universe's most famous warriors.

This trilogy is essential viewing for Enterprise. It also doesn't hurt that the Big Show turns up as an Orion Slaver, too.