10 Important Star Trek Details That Are Almost Never Mentioned

The Prime Directive (also known as General Order 1) was created by Starfleet some time before The Original Series. It simply states that Starfleet personnel must do everything they can (even sacrificing their own lives) to prevent unnecessary interference in the development of alien societies, even if their interference could greatly help said people.

This directive is perhaps the most important rule in Starfleet, especially when applied to pre-warp civilizations, who Starfleet are banned from revealing themselves to. If a less technologically advanced species suddenly gained access to all of the science and advanced weapons of the Federation, the results could be catastrophic.

There were exceptions to the Prime Directive, however. Unnecessary interference is banned, but, as Pike said in the Strange New Worlds episode Children Of The Comet, “We can’t just let a planet die.” Starfleet ships were allowed to save pre-warp societies from certain destruction by asteroids or alien invaders, but never interfered with their development, or made their presence known, only prevented apocalyptic events. Another example is the beginning of Star Trek: Into Darkness, when the crew prevents a massive volcano from going off and killing a pre-warp society.