10 Times Streaming Era Star Trek Went Apocalyptic

9. Nus Braka Mines The Federation - Rubincon

Star Trek Starfleet Academy Nus Braka Rubincon
CBS Media Ventures

Here is a plan so vast that it immediately spawned queries over its logic. When Nus Braka activated his massive minefield around the Federation, we were all left scratching our heads. Just how could he do this? This was less a question of motivation than of means. No, really, how could he do it? The physics of it all was mind-boggling.

While our article on the topic seeks to address that aspect, it was Starfleet Academy's entry into the high-stakes game. Had Braka actually detonated his minefield, the death toll promised to reach the billions. There's genocide, and then there's Braka. This seemed a bit of a stretch for a space pirate, but sometimes a Klingerite has a dream.

In typical Trek fashion, only one starship was able to save the day. The USS Athena was outside of the barrier, allowing it to begin to fight the Venari Ral, while also sneaking Caleb Mir into Braka's faux-trial. Things may have teetered on the edge of disaster, and Braka did actually push the big red button - just outside the nick of time. 

His power over the mines gone, Braka is taken into custody, while Starfleet sets about removing said mines from their positions around their territory. It was a close one, and altogether too easy for someone to orchestrate. Though, as of writing, there is only one more season of Starfleet Academy to come, one hopes that those mines remain locked up tighter than a Ferengi on Black Friday. 

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"