# Most vile STAR TREK characters **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 17, 2010, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-vile-star-trek-characters/550534 "2010-08-17T16:23:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-vile-star-trek-characters/550534/81 "2010-08-18T19:13:48Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > Tuvok is one logical motherf- I suggest that if you open your mind and meditate, you may perhaps gain insight to control your emotions, so you would not feel compelled to such outbursts, which are considered taboo in certain cultures, as well as factually inaccurate regarding the relationship between Tuvok and the one who gave birth to him. While I agree the taboo is not rational, it is logical to avoid unnecessarily offending those with whom we are in regular contact. [pointy-eared smilie raising one eyebrow] ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-vile-star-trek-characters/550534/82 "2010-08-18T19:50:55Z")
> [@Procyon](#): > > The whole thing is so over the top vile (not really evil per se, I mean, these guys aren’t genocidal or anything) that by the end of it all I really, really wanted Kirk to phaser blast and/or karate chop these lunatics with extreme prejudice. Just completely wreck them. And that’s what the dwarf _wants_ to do, but for some reason Kirk convinces him he’ll be “just like them” if he carves up their leader with a knife. I guess he has a point, but damn if I didn’t want to see those guys get what they gave. That’s a good example - they were rotten people. ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-vile-star-trek-characters/550534/83 "2010-08-18T20:29:25Z")
Most of the Mirror Universe Deep Space 9 crew seemed pretty vile, but that was to be expected. I watched Parallels the other night and it bothered me that there was a universe where The Borg won and one of the Riker’s was pleading to not go back and was blown up because he was firing on the shuttlecraft. That seemed like a universe that was completely vile and helpless. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-vile-star-trek-characters/550534/84 "2010-08-18T20:32:02Z")
> [@FordTaurusSHO94](#): > > Most of the Mirror Universe Deep Space 9 crew seemed pretty vile, but that was to be expected. > > I watched Parallels the other night and it bothered me that there was a universe where The Borg won and one of the Riker’s was pleading to not go back and was blown up because he was firing on the shuttlecraft. That seemed like a universe that was completely vile and helpless. I’m not sure I understand how you’re using _vile_ in that last sentence. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-vile-star-trek-characters/550534/85 "2010-08-18T20:39:21Z")
> [@FordTaurusSHO94](#): > > Most of the Mirror Universe Deep Space 9 crew seemed pretty vile, but that was to be expected. Yeah, but vile in an interesting way, arguably much more interesting than the “regular” DS9 universe. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-vile-star-trek-characters/550534/86 "2010-08-18T20:41:20Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I’m not sure I understand how you’re using _vile_ in that last sentence. **Vile** 1. a..abhorrent b…FOUL …4. disgustingly or utterly bad : OBNOXIOUS -Mr. Webster Pretty well describes a universe run by the Borg. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-vile-star-trek-characters/550534/87 "2010-08-18T20:48:56Z")
One interesting point of trivia about Khan’s crew in the movie: All of the men were Chippendale dancers at the time. That may be why they all looked like surfer dudes. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-vile-star-trek-characters/550534/88 "2010-08-18T20:57:01Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > > [@FordTaurusSHO94](#): > > > > Most of the Mirror Universe Deep Space 9 crew seemed pretty vile, but that was to be expected. > > Yeah, but vile in an interesting way, arguably much more interesting than the “regular” DS9 universe. I was going to go all _Fook of a Took!_ on you but I couldn’t generate the bile necessary. Anyway, I’ve been rewatching DS9 recently, and doing so has confirmed my previous opinion that it’s the best of the Trek series: generally superior to all but the best of TOS, better on average than any of TNG, and far, far better than VOYAGER or ENTERPRISE. ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-vile-star-trek-characters/550534/89 "2010-08-18T21:15:43Z")
I’m working my way through DS9 for the first time. I watched TNG when new episodes still came on, but I always changed the channel when DS9 came on. After the season ender for season 2, I can’t wait for season 3. To discover more vile characters, of course! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-vile-star-trek-characters/550534/90 "2010-08-18T21:24:51Z")
> [@Gagundathar](#): > > One interesting point of trivia about Khan’s crew in the movie: > All of the men were Chippendale dancers at the time. I gotta ask if you have a cite, Dude. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-vile-star-trek-characters/550534/91 "2010-08-18T21:28:32Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > > [@Gagundathar](#): > > > > One interesting point of trivia about Khan’s crew in the movie: > > All of the men were Chippendale dancers at the time. > > I gotta ask if you have a cite, Dude. 🙂 My abs are my cite! ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-vile-star-trek-characters/550534/92 "2010-08-18T22:08:44Z")
> [@FordTaurusSHO94](#): > > I’m working my way through DS9 for the first time. I watched TNG when new episodes still came on, but I always changed the channel when DS9 came on. After the season ender for season 2, I can’t wait for season 3. To discover more vile characters, of course! Just piling on with the DS9 love. It’s pretty much awesome. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2010, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-vile-star-trek-characters/550534/93 "2010-08-18T22:15:31Z")
> [@Procyon](#): > > Of all the vile villains on the Original Series, the ones whose vileness actually aroused my anger (really, I got angry at a show) were the titular pseudo-Greeks from _Plato’s Stepchildren_. Man did I hate those guys. Kirk and friends show up to help cure the Greeks’ leader’s illness and he spends the rest of the episode tormenting and humiliating the helpless crew. He forces Kirk to slap himself, forces Spock to fight Kirk, makes everyone dance for him, removes Spock’s emotional control (!) and continues the apparently life-long torture of a dwarf who happened to be born without telekinetic potential. > > The whole thing is so over the top vile (not really evil per se, I mean, these guys aren’t genocidal or anything) that by the end of it all I really, really wanted Kirk to phaser blast and/or karate chop these lunatics with extreme prejudice. Just completely wreck them. And that’s what the dwarf _wants_ to do, but for some reason Kirk convinces him he’ll be “just like them” if he carves up their leader with a knife. I guess he has a point, but damn if I didn’t want to see those guys get what they gave. On the other hand, they did bring about the first interracial kiss on American TV. So ya gotta give them that… ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-vile-star-trek-characters/550534/94 "2010-08-19T02:37:18Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > > [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > > > Yeah, but vile in an interesting way, arguably much more interesting than the “regular” DS9 universe. > > I was going to go all _Fook of a Took!_ on you but I couldn’t generate the bile necessary. Anyway, I’ve been rewatching DS9 recently, and doing so has confirmed my previous opinion that it’s the best of the Trek series: generally superior to all but the best of TOS, better on average than any of TNG, and far, far better than VOYAGER or ENTERPRISE. I’m not arguing that DS9 was the overall best series (well, maybe a little - I remain fond of TOS), just saying that if they were even _more_ ruthless, it woulda helped. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-vile-star-trek-characters/550534/95 "2010-08-19T02:39:53Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I’m not arguing that DS9 was the overall best series (well, maybe a little - I remain fond of TOS), just saying that if they were even _more_ ruthless, it woulda helped. Are you a Garak fan? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-vile-star-trek-characters/550534/96 "2010-08-19T02:52:51Z")
A little… I have limited patience for characters that are endlessly coy, but I do appreciate that the Cardassians were the best-explored villain race, and that there were factions and disagreements (i.e. the Military vs. the Obsidian Order) which broke with the more conventional “all alien races are monolithic” theme. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-vile-star-trek-characters/550534/97 "2010-08-19T02:57:33Z")
I particularly liked the episode where he tricked Sisko into bringing another species onto their side. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-vile-star-trek-characters/550534/98 "2010-08-19T03:02:19Z")
You mean the Romulans? Yeah, I kinda liked that and its implied message of “Shaddup, you freaking idealist - this is how things get done in the REAL world!” Unfortunately, moments like that tend to get outnumbered by agonizingly stupid Vic Fontaine bits. ---
**Author:** ![antonio107](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ea924/32.png) [@antonio107](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antonio107)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-vile-star-trek-characters/550534/99 "2010-08-19T03:06:00Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > > [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > > > Tuvok is one logical motherf- > > I suggest that if you open your mind and meditate, you may perhaps gain insight to control your emotions, so you would not feel compelled to such outbursts, which are considered taboo in certain cultures, as well as factually inaccurate regarding the relationship between Tuvok and the one who gave birth to him. While I agree the taboo is not rational, it is logical to avoid unnecessarily offending those with whom we are in regular contact. [pointy-eared smilie raising one eyebrow] I like that he got his start as the “Afro Comb” guy from Spaceballs. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2010, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-vile-star-trek-characters/550534/100 "2010-08-19T03:08:58Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > You mean the Romulans? Yeah, I kinda liked that and its implied message of “Shaddup, you freaking idealist - this is how things get done in the REAL world!” > > Unfortunately, moments like that tend to get outnumbered by agonizingly stupid Vic Fontaine bits. Romulans, thanks! Vic had his moments, but I like jazz. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-vile-star-trek-characters/550534.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-vile-star-trek-characters/550534.md?page=6)