10 Most Romantic Star Trek Moments

The Next Generation episode The Outcast may have failed in it's goal of bringing gay representation into Star Trek (the story focusing way more on themes of gender identity), but it still gave us quite a compelling love story between Riker and the J'naii named Soren.

J'naii identified as female, but her species was androgynous, and all J'naii were taught from birth that gender and sex were disgusting aspects of more primitive lifeforms.

Because Soren identified as female, she was forced to undergo conversion therapy by her government to forcefully change her identity. Riker was forbidden by Captain Picard from interfering with J'naii politics but snuck to the planet's surface to rescue her. Unfortunately, when Riker arrived, the procedure had already been completed, and all aspects of Soren's female identity were purged from her mind.

Riker was willing to sacrifice his career to save this woman that he loved. His heartbreak when he realised that Soren had been changed against her will was devastating for him, and tragically romantic.