6 ‘Star Trek’ Mysteries That Will Probably Never Be Answered

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While Star Trek is known for its exploration of new worlds, not every intriguing element has been fully developed. The franchise, across its many series and films, has built a rich history – detailing everything from Vulcan customs to Klingon society. However, despite the extensive detail – you could even potentially write a play in Klingon – some creatures and planets encountered by the Federation remain largely unexplained.

Beyond the small details of how things work between films, many important questions in Star Trek remain unanswered. We don’t know the origins of certain elements, the ultimate fates of some characters, or the full story behind key conflicts. It’s unlikely we’ll ever get satisfying explanations for these long-standing mysteries, but Star Trek still has a chance to address them.

6
Where Did the Borg Come From?


Paramount Television

The Borg are one of the biggest threats in the entire Star Trek universe, but where they came from is still unknown. They first appeared in the Next Generation episode “Q Who,” when the powerful being Q unexpectedly sent the Enterprise directly into their path. While The Next Generation revealed more about these connected cyborgs and their cube-shaped ships, many questions about the Borg remain unanswered.

While most cultures in Star Trek have detailed histories and traditions, the Borg are usually defined by what they do rather than where they came from. The crew of the Enterprise will primarily try to find a way through the Borg’s constantly changing shields and disrupt their collective consciousness. However, considering the Borg are partly mechanical, it’s natural to wonder about their origins. The mystery surrounding their creation adds to their appeal, and it’s likely they began as the creation of a civilization that relied too heavily on robotics, ultimately resulting in these beings obsessed with assimilation. Still, any opportunity to learn more about the Borg is a welcome one, and we are eager to explore their story.

5
What Happened to Sisko?


Paramount Television

As a longtime Trek fan, I’ve been thrilled to see Picard and Janeway back on our screens in recent shows. But it’s got me thinking – what about Captain Sisko? He was such a vital figure in Deep Space Nine, and his ending was… unique. He walked into that wormhole with the Prophets, promising to eventually return to his son, even though those beings don’t experience time the way we do. It’s been a long wait, and I’m really hoping we get some resolution to his story eventually. He deserves it!

While Deep Space Nine concluded Benjamin Sisko’s story, it didn’t entirely close the book on his character, leaving opportunities for him to reappear in shows like Strange New Worlds or even at Starfleet Academy. It would be fantastic to see Avery Brooks reprise the role and learn what Sisko gained from his experiences with the Prophets. However, after 26 years and being left out of the Deep Space Nine reunion on Lower Decks, it’s becoming increasingly unlikely we’ll ever find out what happened to him – perhaps that non-linear dimension is just too appealing to leave.

4
Did Section 31 Mess Up Turkana IV?


Paramount+

Turkana IV is a notable planet as the birthplace of Tasha Yar, but it’s also remembered for its descent into widespread chaos. A civil war led to rampant crime and violence, making it a dangerous place with little hope of escape. After Tasha Yar’s death, the planet is seldom discussed in Star Trek stories.

The pilot film, Section 31, offered a chance to show how the planet fell into war. The ending, with the Section 31 team heading to Turkana IV, suggested they were responsible for the planet’s instability, and this storyline could have been further developed. However, the film received poor reviews, ending any chance of exploring that mission. While we might eventually learn more about Turkana IV’s troubled past, it won’t be through Michelle Yeoh and her team.

3
Will the Neural Parasites Ever Return?


Paramount Television

I still remember being totally creeped out when those neural parasites first showed up in a Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, “Conspiracy.” They were seriously unsettling! What made them so scary was how easily they took over the minds of high-ranking Starfleet officers. We didn’t learn much about where they came from, but the plan they had was terrifying – a beacon to bring even more of those things here. Thankfully, Picard figured it out and stopped them before it was too late!

The episode “Conspiracy” is famous for its graphic violence, which led to it being banned in the UK. It was also one of the most intense episodes of The Next Generation. While it didn’t show phasers directly destroying people, the mystery of the parasites themselves was never fully resolved. We still don’t know where they originated or what their ultimate goal was beyond simply surviving inside their hosts. It’s unlikely these parasites will reappear, but they would be a great addition to a future Star Trek series if the show wanted to explore a more frightening, body horror-focused storyline.

2
Who Built the Doomsday Machine?


NBC

The Doomsday Machine is a hugely powerful and dangerous construct featured in the original Star Trek series. Its sole known function is to obliterate star systems, and the only way to disable it is to detonate a starship inside its structure. While the Enterprise managed to stop this particular Doomsday Machine, the crew believed others might exist somewhere in the galaxy.

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The Doomsday Machine has shown up in various Star Trek expanded universe materials like novels and fan projects, but surprisingly, never in an official TV show or film. The novel Vendetta explained that an alien race created it to fight the Borg. However, even if you accept the novel as part of the official story, the origins of the Doomsday Machines remain unclear – they were constructed beyond the galaxy’s edge. Exploring the mystery of this powerful weapon with a Federation crew could be the basis for a compelling Star Trek movie.

1
What Became of the Dominion After the War?


Paramount Television

The Dominion War storyline in Deep Space Nine was a standout, not just within Star Trek, but in television generally. By the series’ end, the Dominion had been defeated by the combined forces of the Federation, Klingons, and Romulans. However, the show didn’t explore what happened after the war concluded with the signing of a peace treaty. There’s a wealth of potential stories to be told about the aftermath of such a devastating conflict, and the fates of those affected, essentially leaving enough material for a whole additional season of the show.

It’s disappointing that the story simply ends with the Dominion signing a peace treaty and living happily ever after. This lack of closure is particularly frustrating because Deep Space Nine always focused on the lasting effects of conflict. Before the Dominion War, the show highlighted the strained relationship between Cardassians and Bajorans, and how even after the Cardassians left Bajor, the damage remained – seen in characters like Kira and Odo. Considering all the trauma caused by the Dominion War, it feels like a missed opportunity not to explore how those wounds continue to affect everyone involved.

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2026-01-04 23:04