10 Most Fearsome Alien Races In Star Trek

Perhaps Star Trek’s most famous alien race (give or take a Vulcan), the Klingon species has gone through significant changes over the course of the series. As the Klingon culture and way of life has been expanded and further examined, more sympathetic elements of the wrinkly headed creatures have been revealed - though the Klingons remain a species you would not want to mess with.

Early depictions of Klingons were pretty crass - there was little depth to them other than a propensity towards scheming and general oafish wrongdoing. The design was iconic from the off, but their early appearances were none too thrilling.

By the time the first film rolled around, things were changing. The Klingons adopted elements of Japanese feudal culture, and from there they were redesigned as a proud, honourable warrior race. A Klingon language was developed; The Next Generation even introduced a Klingon member of StarFleet.

The evolution of the Klingon race is an admirable example of the writers taking something base and reductive and expanding it into a fully believable species. Even with the addition of principles and honour, though, you still don’t want to get on the wrong side of them.