10 Most Satisfying Character-Arcs In Star Trek

[@notthesheriff6656]

What about The Doctor in Star Trek: Voyager? His arc from a piece of holographic technology to a sentient being is pretty impressive!

[@lawrencewalston2272]

I couldn't agree more.

[@BaldAndCurious]

The doctor "could" still be operational during the time of Discovery and in the New Federation. How much knowledge and adventures he would have had.

[@MishraArtificer]

@@BaldAndCurious I believe the EMH is going to be making appearances in the Starfleet Academy series, which takes place after the end of Discovery (but before the coda to the finale), so he's still around.

[@sureshmukhi2316]

I was waiting for that. He mentions Data but not the Doctor?

[@BaldAndCurious]

@MishraArtificer wow! EMH as medical professor! I'm here for it!

[@thedragonauthority]

B'Elanna Torres should have been on this list. She started off as a hot headed, violent, disobedient maquis. Over time she learned to love herself and others, though she constantly clashed with her klingon side. Her relationship with Tom Paris, and becoming a mother, was a great way to end her arch.

[@QBCPerdition]

Tom, too. Their arcs are so intertwined, even before their official relationship.

[@thedragonauthority]

@QBCPerdition good point. He started off as a criminal and became a better man by the end.

[@Vincornelis]

The best character arc in Star Trek is easily Major Kira. Hell there's multiple clear character arcs to pull from. How she views and relates to authority. How she views Sisko and the Federation. How she sees collaboraters. How she sees Cardassians. All change drastically over the course of the series.

[@MishraArtificer]

Just "Duet" by itself...

[@OverworkedITGuy]

The EMH from Voyager Bashir Not mentioning Garrack feels wrong. Honorable mention also has to go out to Damar in DS9

[@lovipoekimo176]

My favorite character to have had a semblance of an arc is Garak.

[@pierce9128]

Think that would take a full video on it's own

Seven of Nine : from a Babe in a cat suit to a developped character, ready to lead a flag ship ! She deserves indeed the first place.

[@andywellsglobaldomination]

I was actually put off when she replaced the lady who played the cook's GF. The jumpsuits... a jaded strategy by middle aged suits... but Ryan earned the crap out of Seven... I mean, the character we know as of PICARD got there by a lot of sweat equity... Ryan did the hard work... and transcended the jumpsuits.

[@laurabailey1054]

@@andywellsglobaldomination the cook was Neelix and joined the crew during the first episodes. The GF Kes never got to have her storyline develop and the writers just accelerated her “ gifts” which forced her to have to leave Voyager.

[@twocvbloke]

I foresee a Part II to this list given the comments mentioning characters such as Voyager's EMH and Garak being left off this particular list... :)

[@PrincessTiffie]

I find myself binge-watching the different serie I did not watch on their original release, It is amazing how the writers can take multiple characters through meaningful arcs. I agree that 7 of 9 was possibly the most amazing arc in the Star Trek universe.

[@markfetherman6593]

Your best episode yet. As a writer, I was shocked that you taught me something about character arcs. Thank you. Live Long and keep posting.🖖🖖🖖

[@mjc4942]

Rest in peace Aron Eisenburg-- Nog

[@andywellsglobaldomination]

You know, he and the guy who played Jake Sisco stayed friends through the end of his life...

[@craigmacdonald539]

A good list but I can't believe Kira Nerys and Worf weren't on here.

[@Lordoftheapes79]

As far as Data goes, I have no issues undoing his deaths. He is a sentient AI after all and their existence would be quite different from ours. So long as their code exists, they can live on. And no mention of Garrak? I'm going to have to assume a part 2 is in our future.

[@noelcalvert768]

data said as much in season 3. Picard apologizing for bringing him back against his wishes. He said something along the lines of "I've experienced that. I'm good. I don't want that anymore." Obviously paraphrasing as I don't remember the exact quote.

[@andywellsglobaldomination]

Whereas our souls are like candles burn down to nothing, the fire that is data can be relit via CPU...

[@ssia6938]

Seven’s story is amazing. Hers is like Marvel character. From childhood to Borg, reclaimed human, Fenris ranger, Borg queen to Starfleet captain. There is no one in the Star Trek universe like Seven.

[@shmuck66]

picard ruined her. That was not Seven in Picard. That was a think last, just act, master of herself, and not the situation, bs absorber, excuse of a character. The real Seven was always a highly calculating, smart, tough and unrelenting, master of the situation without an ounce of patients for bs.

[@laurabailey1054]

⁠@@shmuck66 she also had to kill Ejeb in an act of mercy so she had to deal with the traumas in her life. Picard did not ruin her as we didn’t get to fully expand her current story arch.

[@shanchat]

I still think Nog had the best arc.

[@jaygee6738]

Agreed! From illiterate criminal to Starfleet officer. So great

[@HAFBeast91]

Worf deserves an honorable mention at the very least.

[@Amizare1]

I would like to see an opposite of Spock. A half human half Vulcan that embraces their human side more than their Vulcan side.

[@sureshmukhi2316]

Sybok, though full Vulcan, he embraced his emotions.

[@sueKay]

Great list with a perfect choice for the top spot. I expected Nog to rank higher though, and I'm hoping there's a part 2!

[@lawrencewalston2272]

Nog did make captain, in an alternate timeline, in DS9 episode The Visitor.

[@AdamEspersona]

I’m just glad that Mariner was included on this list. She suffered greatly from her role model dying AND her fighting in the Dominion War. She wanted to be an explorer, and ended up a broken soldier. She kept refusing promotion because she didn’t want to be the one to send officers to their deaths. Then she faced that trauma in “The Inner Fight”, allowing her to finally let her growth stick, especially when she confronted Locarno. And we’re seeing that growth continue to happen as Season 5 rolls on, to the point where she’s happy to be doing scientific missions again.

[@archmage_of_the_aether]

But her arc is ongoing, it should not qualify for this list

[@jehiahmaduro6827]

Seven of Nine ascendance to Borg Queen was terrifying

[@cathytalbert6548]

I would definitely add the Doctor & Tom Paris in Voyager! Both changed significantly!

[@JaredLS10]

Honestly you can pick any of the senior staff of Voyager with maybe an exception of Tuvok and Harry.

[@cathytalbert6548]

@ true!

[@andywellsglobaldomination]

too many Voyager characters had long arcs... except that Ensign Kim!!! I do hope that if there is a ST: Legacy, Kim gets a juicy recurring role.

[@athelas379]

I expect at least a Part 2 of this list 🖖🏽

[@SaberToothBicycle]

I hope they give us Prodigy Season 3 (and beyond) so we can find out whether Dal R'El makes the next character-arc list!

[@amandamatheny3675]

Picard becoming something of a father figure to Wesley makes perfect sense, especially considering that Wesley's father had died and when he was very young and was Picard's best friend. It would make sense that he would want what was best for his best friend's child

[@usuckthereturn]

No love for Garrick…tinker, Taylor, soldier, obsidian order

[@donaldmacarthur]

You've misunderstood the article, then. Garak was an amazing and layered character wonderfully brought to life by Andrew Robinson. But he didn't grow in the sense this article means. Though the traits we see developed through the show, it's understood that this was technically already the character we met early.

[@usuckthereturn]

Huh?!

[@HariSeldon913]

@@usuckthereturn He's saying Garak remained mostly the same person, we merely learned more about him.

[@jamessnedeker4799]

Garak is fantastic and grew as the show progressed. He witnessed the downfall of Cardassia and overcame his claustrophobia. After 'What You Leave Behind', he hasn't changed that much since S1 Garak, especially not as much as the others on this list. I have not seen much of 'New Trek' so I don't know if Garak has a role in that so I could be wrong. The idea of Garak likely went through radical changes from the original intent though due to Andrew Robinson's fantastic portrayal. Remember security officer George Primmin? Garak could have been forgettable as Georgie if not for Andrew Robinson.

[@gwenever7286]

Garak never really changed or grew, he was the same at the end as at the beginning. I think Ro Laren's arc is far more interesting and as she still isnt dead, would love to see her return in the future. The EMH deserved to be on this list too,

[@MishraArtificer]

Garak's understanding of what it means to be a Cardassian patriot certainly changed, as he finally had his iconoclasm in DS9's series finale, realizing that the old Cardassian way was dead, and frankly needed to be. That said, Damar showed it *far* more blatantly. (Honestly surprised *he* isn't on the list!)

[@DavidNash1948]

Better do "Ten More Most Satisfying Character-Arcs in Star Trek".

[@alec-sarah]

What about Miles? And Garak?

[@archmage_of_the_aether]

Neither changed. No arc.

[@Jenifer_R_]

So much of Spock's 'character arc' came after the fact. It's mostly a result of retconning and rewriting. Not saying it's a bad thing - I like the different interpretations - but of all the characters in Star Trek, he's had the most work done.

[@ds6080]

Looking forward to the next with the EMH, T'pol, Shran, Weyoun, O'Brien, Garack

[@NediSafa]

I just taught my five-year-old grandson the Vulcan Salute, and I hope he lives long and prospers.

[@ozzycommander]

Im praying for a 7 star trek show. ill never accept that trash ship being an enterprise though. how dare they give the oddy such a weak ending. the only way the F was going to go out was on fire with my boy Shon laughing

[@WillbaDissidente]

I wanna an article on many times the Federation, or other aliens from the Alpha Quadrant, reached the Delta Quadrant before Voyager did it for the 1st time. *

[@MatthewJamesKalasky]

Mariner, Seven and Data in the top three. which order, I can't completely say.

[@A1somniaaa]

Great choices in this, but time for part 2! Many character-arcs could be here after such a long legacy of shows

[@TheDevnul]

In the 3rd season of Picard all I wanted was for Worf and Kira to go back to DS9, get The Defiant and then to The Great Link and wait for Odo to come out and say « We need your help! » Unfortunetly Mr Auberjonois has passed.

[@TrekCannon]

You've been on my channel again trek culture 😂

[@WendyDarling1974]

Usually, when you do these lists, I disagree with three, four, or even five of them. Would this list, I’m with you on all.

[@myfigureuniverse]

If I were to add an eleventh entry into this list it would be "Damar". His over all arch on DS9 from lackey to Murderer to Drunk and then leader that led the revolution on Cardassia is one that needs to be given its due.

[@ronm6585]

Thanks. 🖖🏻

[@dinomonzon7493]

Agree 💯% regarding Mr. Spock, the Emissary & Odo. Major/Colonel Kira, Wesley Crusher, & Capt. James T. Kirk should've been added though.

[@Yikes_its_Psychs]

What about the Doctor? What about Gwendala, she went from just a kid to uniting her people! Dal R'El, finally learning he's not the captain....

[@craig3533]

Surprised no Q in there. The path of starting as a hostile, judgmental god and managing to become a sympathetic ally (sort of) is a pretty interesting one.

[@DreynHarry]

Picards story arc is overrated - his character more or less never changed. Nogs story was IMHO the best, followed by Sisko und 7o9

[@Vim-Wolf]

5:37 Is that one of Sir Patrick's own rescue dogs?

[@patrickfutato6555]

How could you leave off Worf?

[@Twist-The-Friendly-Hunter]

My favourite character arcs are Icheb and Hue. Oh wait... One was killed for no reason and hue didn't deserve that. The other was killed off because the actor who played icheb said something on twitter that got him blacklisted from any future trek content and had his character BRUTALISED for absolutely no reason other than spite. Icheb didn't deserve that, his character had so much potential. Anywho rant over. Favourite character arc? Tucker. Connor trinner gave him life, went from a grease monkey to a treasured freind who was also killed off unnecessarily and Jonathan Frakes himself even hated the episode. Trip was more than just a cheif engineer, he became a lover to a Vulcan... Which isn't something a lot of people can say, his sisters death arc showed how angry he was at the Xindi and his "sacrifice" for shran and his daughter showed his character.

[@erikleorga]

100% ok if they gave us a series based around 7.

[@rossdax47]

Mariner should be way higher on this list *sarcastic Vulcan salute out.*

[@MatthewJamesKalasky]

I will second this. Same for Data, I think.

[@stevenmanclark7361]

Where was KES in this episode surely her story arch is worth telling.

[@cfhollister8766]

IMO, Nog is #1.

[@lostmonkey]

Technically Picard season 3 Data is a... Data 2.0, since he also has the memories and personality traits of a bunch of other positronics.

[@alanthielking6527]

I would have expected Q to make the list, except he doesn't have an arc so much as a Jeremy Beremy.

[@grumpy2.0]

O'Brien

[@MikefromTexas1]

This list is definitely getting a sequel. Right??

[@JamesA1102]

It was never said that the Enterprise G was the flagship.

[@NALurking]

Dal from Prodigy.

[@durchhalter]

Michael Burnham is in this and ELIM GARAK ISN'T???!!! HOW? WHY? This cannot be real!🙄

[@---oq5kb]

Garak didn't have a character arc. He is just a simple tailor. All of his development happens before DS9, and it is mostly implied in the show. The biggest thing that came close to having an arc was his homo erotic relationship with Bashir.

[@walruspolish]

​@@---oq5kbGarak didn't have a character arc, what planet are you on? A pivotal point of his development was The Wire, his tenuous relationship with Tain explored in Improbable Cause, overcoming his claustrophobia in by infernos light, his anxiety/ claustrophobia in season 7 whilst working for the federation and the position it puts him in by killing his fellow Cardasians in the war and the relationship he forms with her and convinces her to stay on DS9. Sorry, but I don't think you could be more wrong about Garak.

[@File001]

I'm a life long Trekkie, and sorry, but everything that includes the events Star Trek Picard is not "satisfying character-arc". Literally every character portrayed therein was ruined.

[@shmuck66]

Seven of Nine, Picard ruined her. That was not Seven in Picard. That character was a think last, just act, master of herself, and not the situation, bs absorber, excuse of a character/space hobo. The real Seven was always a highly calculating, smart, tough and unrelenting, master of the situation without an ounce of patients for bs, and always took care of things (no messes, no missed details). I really feel they truly gipped us on what was given to us in Picard, what with nearly everyone but the worst offender was what they did with Seven.

[@jamessnedeker4799]

Reginald Barclay outranks Rom in my book.

[@grahamturner1290]

🖖

[@HammerJammer81]

EVERY DS9 Character. M.B.?? Noppppppppe!

[@JohnHTuck]

what about Tom Paris?

[@SC1ENCEP1E]

Seven's WAS a great character arc right up until they brought her back and had her murder people. Seeing as the point of her arc was her regaining her humanity

[@Popcultureguy3000]

It’s actually kind of a darker version of her character growth into a less logic ruled and empathic being. The Seven of Nine who first joined the makeshift Crew of the Voyager would’ve never seen a _reason_ to murder people out of vengeful retaliation, but she saw Icheb as a *son* by the time he was senselessly murdered for spare parts.

[@archmage_of_the_aether]

Michael Burnham had very little approaching an "arc". She was not written as a character as much as other Trek protagonists. Rather boring in comparison to a Cisco or a Nog, or Kira.

[@TalaAtTanagra]

Worf??

[@Chayat0freak]

Bit unfair considering characters were not really allowed arcs until ds9.

[@walruspolish]

Michael Burnham? Im sorry, but Data's fecking cat had a more satisfying arc than Burnham.

[@aozorasky7937]

Where is Adam Clery?!?

[@SirAsdf]

He left WhatCulture last year to work at a football magazine

[@lauraleecreations3217]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@gungasam3000]

Michael... from angsty short haired anti-star trek ideologue to angsty long haired anti-star trek ideologue. Such a journey. Terrible to be included on this list with those other great choices.

[@ExcretumTaurum]

My arc seems to involve slowly getting more and more cantankerous and cynical with each passing day.

[@peterjohnson1091]

Burnham (or Mary Sue) didn't deserve to put the uniform back on.

[@manzourahmed3383]

What?????? No GARACK????

[@gerryh8367]

So many more for Part ii Garak EMH Tom Paris But Nog....... brilliantly done He's one i really liked from Ep1

[@stevemartegani]

Sorry but Nog is #1

[@ianbrewster8934]

How about Damar, Q, Worf, Can't agree with Michael Burnham she is a poorly written character.

[@richardspears6849]

Michael Burham!!!! Really?

[@Martial-Mat]

Odo's character arc was appalling. He should have been turned into milkshake and flushed down the toilet. He destroyed an entire colony, and betrayed the Federation another time, all for the sake of his libido, all while claiming to be a super-moral pacifist. Jeez, I thought Janeway was a was excruciatingly pompous, but at least she never never deliberately killed thousands of innocent people.

[@23GreyFox]

This disco character does not deserve a place on this list.

[@HoundMonkey]

Yeah sorry but NO you skipped over some great characters with amazing stories for the garbage writing and characters from lower decks. Your Trek card is being revoked.

[@PaulFagundes]

Way too much DS9

[@TomGerritsen-o9r]

Kurtzman Trek is NOT Star Trek!!

[@tomlichnofsky.7048]

🖖🖖🖖😊😆🖖🖖🖖🍁

[@Kimmurial333]

Burnham. Just no. Mutiny is mutiny

[@slysi81]

Super Burnham arc was terrible and predictable it be on this list. Data's new death was a joke and Picard dying to become a golem WTF. All that comes from terrible planned out writing.

[@MartinPittBradley]

Rom becoming the Ferengi king/pope was stupid writing.