5 Most Controversial Star Trek Couples

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Since its debut in 1966, Star Trek has become a massive science fiction franchise. It remains incredibly popular today, with new shows and films constantly being released. The franchise’s enduring appeal and large global fanbase are a testament to its many great qualities, keeping viewers engaged for decades.

While Star Trek has given us some truly memorable romances, like Deanna Troi and William Riker, many fans agree that the show’s history is also filled with disappointing relationships. With the new series focusing on Starfleet Academy and introducing even more romantic storylines, it’s a good time to revisit the couples that never quite worked for viewers.

Spock & Uhura Never Felt Like a Natural Romance Plot Line

J.J. Abrams successfully revived the Star Trek franchise in 2009 by reimagining The Original Series as a series of films. While it was a big undertaking to recapture the spirit of the original show, the film was critically acclaimed – Rotten Tomatoes certified it as “Fresh” with a 94% rating from critics and a 91% audience score. However, the movie wasn’t perfect, and one odd choice was the romantic storyline between Spock and Uhura.

The connection between Zoe Saldaña’s Uhura and Zachary Quinto’s Spock isn’t the issue – they clearly have chemistry and seem to care for each other. The problem is that the movies don’t explain how their relationship developed. We don’t get enough background on what brought them together, which makes their bond feel a little forced or unexplained.

Considering Spock’s Vulcan heritage – and his suppressed emotions – his strong feelings for Uhura don’t quite add up. The movie doesn’t explain this connection, and without sufficient build-up, the romantic storyline feels forced. It almost seemed designed to appease longtime Star Trek fans who had been hoping for this pairing.

Captain Janeway & Q Felt Like Sexism in a Bottle

The next couple we’ll look at is from Star Trek: Voyager (1995-2001), and unfortunately, many of the relationships on this list are also from that show. Voyager is a great addition to the Star Trek universe, but it often had trouble with romance. It would hint at potential couples without ever fully developing them, and sometimes focused on relationships that fans weren’t interested in.

Q, a powerful and recurring character from Star Trek, often developed relationships with ship captains. However, his connection with Captain Janeway was unique. While Q always had hidden agendas when interacting with Captains Picard from The Next Generation and Sisko from Deep Space Nine, his interactions with Janeway were different.

Q’s pursuit of Janeway always felt like it was solely about trying to win her over, and frustratingly, it seemed driven by the fact that she was a woman. The relationship never had a chance because Q constantly boasted about his desirability and, in doing so, belittled Janeway. Thankfully, she wouldn’t tolerate his behavior. However, the whole storyline felt forced and unnecessary, as if it only existed to highlight Janeway being the first female captain of a Star Trek series.

Everyone Found Neelix & Kes’ Relationship Annoying

The relationship between these two characters is a point of contention among Star Trek fans. Some enjoy their connection, while others feel they lacked chemistry and that the romance felt forced after Kes joined the Voyager. Many fans find the pairing frustrating and consider it one of the worst in the entire series.

Neelix and Kes didn’t have a natural connection, and their relationship felt strained from the beginning. Neelix, wanting to rescue Kes from Kazon captivity, relied on the help of the Voyager crew. While they successfully saved her, that was the most compelling part of their story. Their lack of chemistry made the romance feel forced, leaving viewers wondering why the show invested in it for so long.

Many viewers feel Kes and Neelix are together out of obligation rather than genuine affection. A relationship built on feeling indebted to someone is unhealthy, which explains why so many find their pairing unsatisfying and even problematic.

Data & Tasha Yar Never Properly Explored the Consequences of the Relationship

During the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994), a mysterious illness caused by contaminated water spreads through the Enterprise. Those affected start behaving oddly, and Tasha Yar develops an unusual fixation on the android Data. Because Data is still learning about human emotions and behavior at this point in the series, romantic feelings aren’t something he experiences, especially not in this situation.

Because Data doesn’t understand romance or intimacy, Tasha Yar’s attempts to initiate a relationship with him feel awkward and inappropriate to many viewers. Some fans believe Tasha Yar saw Data as an object for her own gratification, which raises serious questions about whether Data could even understand or agree to a sexual encounter, and whether Tasha Yar exploited his lack of understanding.

What bothers me most about this whole thing isn’t that Data and Tasha Yar had a brief relationship, but how the show just treats it like a joke. It felt like something that should have really shaken Data up, changed how he saw people, and made him question things deeply. I wish they’d explored the complexities of their connection, and really considered the issue of consent – it felt like a huge missed opportunity to delve into some truly fascinating territory.

Chakotay & Seven of Nine Made Zero Sense as a Couple

As a huge Voyager fan, I always thought Seven of Nine was one of the strongest characters they added. Coming from the Borg, she really made you think about what it means to be human – about individuality and making your own choices. Plus, she had fantastic chemistry with the crew, and she brought a totally unique perspective to Captain Janeway that no one else could. It was always compelling to watch her interactions and how she challenged the way everyone else thought.

Seven of Nine had several romantic storylines, but most of them weren’t very convincing. The pairing with Chakotay was particularly problematic. The show never really explained why they became a couple, especially considering the ongoing, though often subtle, connection between Chakotay and Janeway. They simply lacked believable chemistry, making it hard for viewers to root for them as a lasting relationship.

Many viewers were disappointed with the romance between Seven of Nine and Chakotay, feeling it was created to prevent Chakotay from developing a relationship with Janeway, a pairing fans strongly preferred. Some believe the relationship was hurried to provide a conclusion for the characters, but lacked genuine development. Even Jeri Ryan, the actress who played Seven of Nine, felt the relationship felt unearned and that the characters didn’t have a solid foundation.

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2026-02-19 07:14