10 Biggest Star Trek Plot Holes

6. So Long, Yeoman Rand

Star Trek Janice Rand
CBS Media Ventures

Janice Rand was the Captain's Yeoman in the first season of The Original Series. She vanishes after several episode, only returning then for small parts in the movies. The question of what happened to her is actually a sad case of behind the scenes drama.

Grace Lee Whitney revealed that she had been sexually assaulted by a producer (who she refused to name) which led to her firing from the show. Abhorrent as that is, it was all the more noticeable as her character was being set up to play a major supporting role. So, when she vanished, it left a mark on the show.

While on-screen, it could have been explained away as a simple transfer, it bears mentioning here as it was a plot hole caused by the despicable actions of someone who abused their power. Rand deserved better and Grace Lee Whitney deserved a whole lot more.

Thankfully, when the movies began, the character returned in The Motion Picture, The Search for Spock and The Undiscovered Country. She also appeared in Flashback, alongside George Takei. At least the franchise tried, in some way, to atone for what happened to her and to Rand.

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"