These are some of the coolest-looking ships that stand out the most in Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Highlights
- The Galor-class cruiser introduced the brutal might of the Cardassian Union, setting itself apart with a fish-like design.
- The USS Pasteur, a hospital ship with a spherical hull, met a tragic end in a Klingon attack after being specialized for medical aid.
- The Borg cube, with its unique design, proved to be a terrifying opponent by easily defeating the Enterprise-D and annihilating Starfleet vessels.
Following the success of the Star Trek movies of the 1980s, the franchise returned to the small screen with The Next Generation, a sequel series set a century after the exploits of Captain Kirk. Under the command of the stoic Captain Jean-Luc Picard, the Enterprise-D continued Starfleet’s mission to explore the galaxy, discovering a wide range of civilizations, scientific mysteries, and deadly new threats along the way.
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While The Next Generation favored philosophy and moral dilemmas over melodrama and technobabble, the series still delivered when it came to fascinating technology and innovative vessels. From the Enterprise-D itself to the rarely seen D’kora-class Ferengi Maurader, the show’s seven seasons featured a bounty of notable starships.
8
Galor-class Cruiser
First Appearance: “The Wounded” (Season 4, Episode 12)
As well as being a showcase for tortured everyman Miles O’Brien, “The Wounded” introduces both the Cardassians and their iconic Galor-class cruisers. The fish-like shaping of the Galor-class (a design choice replicated in later Cardassian vessels) sets the starships of the Cardassian Union apart from other alien civilizations. However, despite its naturalistic appearance, the cruiser is a capable warship that serves as the backbone of the Cardassian military.
Indeed, while the Galor-class is less well known in popular culture than many ships from The Next Generation, it came to symbolize the brutal might of the Cardassian Union within both the series itself and in Deep Space Nine. The Cardassian cruiser may be something of a hidden gem, but it nonetheless deserves to be remembered as one of Star Trek‘s coolest starships.
7
USS Pasteur
First Appearance: “All Good Things…” (Season 7, Episodes 25 & 26)
Starfleet is no stranger to specialized starships: the USS Defiant seen in Deep Space Nine is a dedicated warship, while the USS Voyager, despite its heavy armament, is ostensibly a science vessel. Yet few Starfleet vessels are as practically focused as the USS Pasteur, an Olympic-class hospital ship under the command of Captain Beverly Crusher. In the alternate timeline glimpsed by Picard in “All Good Things”, the Pasteur is assigned to help those suffering from Terrelian plague on Romulus.
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The Pasteur represents a radical departure from conventional Starfleet design doctrine, as the vessel’s primary hull is spherical rather than saucer-shaped. This additional internal space no doubt provides additional room for laboratories, wards, and surgical theaters. Unfortunately, the Pastuer‘s fate shows that no good deed goes unpunished, as it destroyed in a Klingon attack.
6
Ferengi Marauder
First Appearance: “The Last Outpost” (Season 1, Episode 5)
“The Last Outpost” sees the Enterprise-D come face to face with a D’kora-class Ferengi Marauder. This multi-function vessel is capable of operating not only as a cargo ship (as per the Ferengi’s mercantile ideology) but also as a fearsome warship. Indeed, during the Enterprise-D’s first encounter with a Ferengi Marauder, the alien vessel was able to greatly weaken the Galaxy-class starship’s deflector shields using a powerful electromagnetic pulse.
The imposing D’kora-class would make several more appearances in The Next Generation and even cameoed in Voyager, albeit as a CGI recreation of the original model. Despite the prominence of the Ferengi in Deep Space Nine, this cruiser is absent from the groundbreaking series, perhaps suggesting that the Ferengi Alliance could only afford to field a few of these versatile vessels.
5
USS Jenolan
First Appearance: “Relics” (Season 6, Episode 4)
While attempting to respond to a distress signal from the USS Jenolan in “Relics”, the Enterprise-D discovers the Sydney-class starship crash-landed on the surface of a massive Dyson sphere. Picard and his crew are 75 years late to the scene of the accident, but they are able to recover a survivor: Montgomery Scott of Captain Kirk’s Enterprise, who has preserved himself in the starship’s transporter pattern buffer.
However, there is more to the Jenolan than its celebrity captain. In terms of appearance, it is a deviation from the norm when it comes to Starfleet vessels, as it lacks a saucer section. That the Jenolan bears a passing resemblance to the Danube-class runabouts seen in Deep Space Nine should come as no surprise, as these auxiliary vessels were heavily influenced by the design of the Sydney-class transport.
4
Romulan Warbird
First Appearance: “The Neutral Zone” (Season 1, Episode 26)
The D’deridex-class Romulan warbird makes its debut in the closing minutes of The Next Generation‘s “The Neutral Zone”. The Romulans aboard the mighty starship tell Picard and his crew that they mean business, and the sleek yet powerful design of their vessel only underlines their message. The D’deridex-class would go on to make many more appearances across the franchise, making it one of Star Trek‘s most iconic villain ships.
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One advantage of the Romulan warbird over its rivals is the fact that it is equipped with a cloaking device. This stealth technology, coupled with the D’deridex‘s considerable firepower, makes it a dangerous threat in any military confrontation. As such, it makes sense that the starship is often deployed in intense military situations, such as during standoffs against the Enteprise-D and throughout Deep Space Nine‘s Dominion War.
3
USS Enterprise-C
First Appearance: “Yesterday’s Enterprise” (Season 3, Episode 15)
Although various iterations of the Starship Enterprise play key roles throughout the Star Trek franchise, not every starship to bear the name is as prolific as The Next Generation‘s Enterprise-D. Indeed, the Excelsior-class Enterprise-B makes only a brief cameo in 1994’s Star Trek: Generations, while its successor, the Enterprise-C, only appears in the episode “Yesterday’s Enterprise”. However, despite its lack of screen-time, the Enterprise-C is involved in one of the most pivotal events in Federation history: the Battle of Narenda III.
The Ambassador-class vessel is destroyed protecting a Klingon colony from a Romulan sneak attack, impressing the Klingons and laying the groundwork for the Treaty of Alliance between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. While the Enterprise-C may resemble an awkward merging of Original Series and Next Generation aesthetics, its contribution to Federation history cannot be understated.
2
Borg Cube
First Appearance: “Q Who” (Season 2, Episode 16)
The Borg are one of science fiction’s most memorable villains, due in part to their relentless and single-minded push to assimilate other species. Yet much of the Borg’s enduring appeal can be attributed to the excellent visual design of the Borg cube. Envisaged by writer Maurice Hurley and realized by designer Richard James, the iconic vessel is based on an architectural language that is entirely distinct from other Star Trek ships.
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However, the Borg cube is more than just an unusual design: it is also a terrifying opponent. The initial Borg cube seen in “Q Who” easily bests the Enterprise-D, while another cube annihilates a large flotilla of Starfleet vessels at the cataclysmic Battle of Wolf 359 in “The Best of Both Worlds”. The Borg cube may look simple, but it has plenty of tricks up its sleeve.
1
USS Enterprise-D
First Appearance: “Encounter at Farpoint” (Season 1, Episodes 1 & 2)
No discussion of The Next Generation can be complete without referring to the USS Enteprise-D, the starship that is as integral to the series as any of the show’s characters. While earlier iterations of Star Trek toyed with the concept of the Enterprise as a living space as well as an exploratory vessel, The Next Generation fully embraces the idea with the Galaxy-class starship. Boasting schools, families, and a sizable civilian contingent, the ship is perhaps the best example of Gene Roddenberry’s utopian future in practice—even if taking children on frequent military missions doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.
As the hero ship of The Next Generation, the Enterprise-D plays a central role in shaping the Alpha and Beta Quadrants, whether through its amazing discoveries of a shared link between many of the galaxy’s civilizations or its repeated battles against the Borg Collective. When it comes to Next Generation starships, the Enterprise-D is second to none.
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Sci-Fi
Release Date
September 28, 1987
Seasons
7
Creator
Gene Roddenberry
Number of Episodes
178
Fuente: successacademy.edu.vn
Categorías: Trend
