10 Most Satisfying Twists In Star Trek

1. I'm Not Really Here

Star Trek The Thaw
CBS Media Ventures

What does Fear fear? In Star Trek: Voyager's second season episode The Thaw, the ship encounters stasis pods, in which there are people bound by a shared hallucination. The hallucination manifests a terrifying version of the circus, complete with a demonic Clown leading the troupe. Harry Kim and B'Elanna Torres are trapped inside, leading the crew of Voyager in a struggle to save them.

In the end, the only thing that the Clown will accept is a trade and so Captain Janeway volunteers herself to take their place. At first, he is delighted, ready to torment her for years to come. But then something is wrong.

In one of the best twists in all of Star Trek: Voyager, Janeway turns the tables on him: she was never really there. She is a holographic representation of herself and therefore free to leave at any time. Without souls to feed on, the Clown begins to fade away into nothing. He finally admits his own fear, which Janeway acknowledges, watching him dissolve.

It is both chilling and thrilling at the same moment, truly displaying the master tactician and unflinching captain that Janeway really was.

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The ULTIMATE Star Trek 'Who Said It' Quiz

Data Star Trek
CBS

1. "The First Time Any Man's Freedom Is Trodden On, We're All Damaged."

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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"