Star Trek Discovery: 10 Awesome Villains They Should've Used Instead
2. Romulans
Hail, the Romulan Star Empire!
The only race that could arguably rival the Klingons and the Borg as the most famous antagonists of the franchise, the Romulans have long been a stealthy thorn in the side of the Federation.
With TOS’ iconic “Balance of Terror” specifically mentioned during Discovery’s development as a thematic touchstone of the show, it’s clear that Romulans are a key influence on the show’s perception of villains. Already, we’ve seen increased screen time given to the Klingons in order to view their own side of the central conflict, just as Balance of Terror did for Romulans.
And that’s not the only similarity with Discovery’s main villains thus far. Much like the Klingons, Discovery’s time period places the Romulans as imminently emerging from about a century of isolation.
In terms of canon, the Romulans strictly aren’t supposed to be seen or heard from until Balance of Terror - but thanks to spore drive, the capabilities of Discovery as a “ghost” has been established, making the possibilities for top-secret black ops and indeed, black badge missions very possible. Could a discreet venture beyond the borders of the Neutral Zone be in the cards?