blue skin star trek

Vintage memo reveals why Andorians were blue

By rachel carrington | may 6, 2021.

So what made the Andorians blue?

Andorians, the blue-skinned species with antennae on their heads, made their debut in Star Trek: The Original Series ‘ episode “Journey to Babel.” Fans didn’t learn more about these aliens until Star Trek: Enterprise re-introduced them in the first season episode “The Andorian Incident.”

Throughout the course of that series, we even came to like one of them—Commander Shran who was portrayed by Jeffrey Combs. But out of everything we learned, we still didn’t know why they were blue, although, they were from an ice planet and human skin turns blue when cold. Maybe that had something to do with it. Turns out, that wasn’t the case at all.

The real reason behind the Andorians’ blue skin

In a memo shared by the Trek Files , a make-up costume note describes the Andorians for “Journey of Babel.” They were described as a fierce warrior breed, in spite of how fragile they looked, and their costumes were to support that, along with the appearance of a vicious-looking bladed weapon which Andorians had no problems using.  (Star Trek: Enterprise gave us a better understanding of the aliens’ fighting capabilities so this part in the memo didn’t come as a surprise.) What does come as a surprise though is the final line of the note.

"Andorians are pale blue. Because."

And there you have it. The color of their skin had nothing to do with their ice-cold planet, and everything to do with “because.” It sure sounds like someone shrugged a shoulder and said “why not?”

If you want to learn even more about the Andorians and what it takes to become one of the fearsome warriors, The Trek Files spoke with Noah Averbach-Katx, who played Ryn on Star Trek: Discovery. You can check out the podcast here .

Next. Jeffrey Combs Shran was nearly a great regular for Star Trek: Enterprise. dark

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• Memory Beta articles sourced from reference works
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• Humanoid species
• Races and cultures
• Beta Quadrant races and cultures
• Federation races and cultures
• Typhon Pact races and cultures
• Insectoid races and cultures
• 1.1 Reproduction
• 1.2 Antennae
• 1.3 Subspecies
• 1.4 Medical conditions
• 2.1 Government
• 2.2 Beliefs
• 2.4 Rituals
• 2.5 Recreation
• 2.6 Nutrition
• 2.7 Weapons
• 4 Andorians
• 5 Starships
• 7.1 Background
• 7.3.1 Appearances
• 7.3.2 References
• 7.4 External links

Biology [ ]

The blue hue of the species was the result of a high concentration of cobalt in the hemoglobin of their red corpuscles. They were generally stronger as well as hardier than other races except when compared to the Vulcans . This was due to the greater gravity, thinner air and harsher climate of the Andorian home world. ( FASA RPG module : The Federation ) While most Andorian were the typical blue race there was also a smaller sub-species known as the Aenar , who were white-skinned, blind, and possessed very powerful telepathic abilities. The Andorians covered most of their world, and regarded the Aenar as nothing more than myths until the early 22nd century , when they re-established contact with the sub-terrestrial Aenar, who lived in the arctic wastelands of the extreme north and numbered only in the thousands. ( ENT episode : " The Aenar ")

The Andorian species was unique in that it was composed of four sexes , known in Andorii , the primary Andorian language, as chans , thaans , zhens , and shens . Chans and thaans were roughly comparable in reproductive function and appearance to the male sex, while the latter two were roughly comparable to the female sex. ( TNG episode : " Data's Day ", DS9 novel : Andor: Paradigm , et al.)

Diagram of the Andorian heart

Andorians were blue-skinned humanoids , similar in build to the average Human . Their homeworld featured predominantly icy environments with a thin, ozone -rich atmosphere so they evolved to live in cooler conditions, but were capable of living in a wide range of climates. One adaptation the species featured was a redundant circulatory system which allowed them to survive comfortably in their environmental conditions. ( Decipher RPG module : Aliens ; ENT episode : " The Aenar ")

Andorians efficiently metabolized nutrients and regulated body heat. However, compared to Humans, Andorian metabolisms tended to be higher, so they would tire more quickly when engaged in strenuous activities for prolonged periods. ( Decipher RPG module : Aliens ; ENT episode : " United ") The Andorian body had a limited exoskeleton , as well as other insectoid characteristics. Andorians ranged in height from about 1.7 to 2.2 meters tall, with the average male at about 2.3 meters, and a female at 1.8 meters. The average weight for a male was 70 kilograms, and a female 45 kg. ( ST reference : Star Fleet Medical Reference Manual ; Decipher RPG module : Aliens )

The average body temperature of an Andorian was 42 °C, pulse rate was 110, and respiration of 28. The average life expectancy for a male Andorian was 129 years, while the average for a female was 134. ( ST reference : Star Fleet Medical Reference Manual )

Reproduction [ ]

The Andorian species was uniquely composed of four sexes. For a long time this was the source of a population crisis for the Andorian people as they struggled to maintain replacement rates for the species.

From an initial population of 3 billion, there were only 90 million Andorians by 2376 . ( DS9 novel : Andor: Paradigm )

Antennae [ ]

Diagram of the Andorian Brain

One of the most noted features Andorians had were their antennae . They could obtain a great deal of sensory information through their continually waving antennae - they could detect electrical fields, changes in air density and temperature and sub-sonic sounds. ( DS9 novel : Avatar, Book One ; Decipher RPG module : Aliens ) Their antennae were remarkably sensitive organs that gave them a sonar-like detection abilities that were similar to that of Terran bats. Due to this ability, it was very difficult to sneak up or even elude an Andorian - even in total darkness. There was a lesser desirable characteristic of these antennae which was their sensitivity to pain. A hit to them gave an Andorian as much pain as a male Human got by being hit in the groin. In Starfleet , Andorian marine personnel were often equipped with specially designed helmets. ( FASA RPG module : The Federation )

However the antennae were not particularly reliable sensory organs as they could be thrown by picking up strong emotions through surges in adrenaline or teptaline or even detecting overheating equipment. When an Andorian concentrated they could use their antennae to single out bioelectric signals nearby. ( DS9 novel : Avatar, Book One )

The antennae contained some brain tissue at their base, and most damage could be done safely above this area. If a portion of antennae were cut off, it would take several months to grow back, during which time the Andorian would suffer loss of balance, among other symptoms. ( ST reference : Star Fleet Medical Reference Manual ; ENT episode : " United ")

Subspecies [ ]

A male Aenar

Medical conditions [ ]

• Haslev-Rahn disease ( Shesh caste only)

Culture [ ]

Andorians had a genetic predisposition toward violent behavior. Within their own society life was extremely structured which helped tame their tempers. In the wider galaxy many Andorians bottled up their rage, managing to contain it in public but sometime having violent outbursts in private. Compared to many other species Andorians excelled under pressure. Their bio-chemical reactions induced them either to fight or increase their sensory input levels, which led to them having great abilities at analysis and reasoning. ( DS9 novels : Avatar, Book One , Avatar, Book Two )

To outsiders, Andorian attitudes and speech may have seemed humble and timid, but in reality their posture often owed to the fact that they were moving to give their antennae a better "view" of surrounding occurrences. Their speech was soft and sibilant due to their differing hearing apparatus, and some undertones of their communication were not immediately perceptible to other races and cultures . This predilection towards sensing vibration and pitch led to a cultural preoccupation with music , which was the original basis of Andorian language . The standard Andorian sidearm, the flabbjellah , doubled as a musical instrument. A well-known genre of their music to offworlders is their Andorian "Blues". (Production notes for ST: TMP; TOS comic : " Who's Who in Star Trek, Issue 1 ", TNG episode : " Unification ")

Duels regarding honor were dealt with through the Ushaan trial of combat, which has many rules. ( ENT episode : " United ")

Andorian society had little need for lawyers, with those who occupied such a profession being executed at least a thousand years before the Andorian Empire joined the Federation. ( TOS novel : Memory Prime )

Andorians seemed to have a belief that within society there was a need for productive members and that those that suffered from disabilities such as being blind were a burden. Such individuals were little cared-for and were only tolerated for what few capabilities they did have, such as breeding. ( TNG novel : Eye of the Beholder )

The Andorians are famous for their war colleges and similar military establishments. ( TNG video game : Birth of the Federation )

Government [ ]

See Andorian Empire

Beliefs [ ]

Andorian beliefs included a deity called Uzaveh the Infinite. ( DS9 novel : Andor: Paradigm ; ENT novel : The Good That Men Do )

This mythological being's "image" (or, at least, the combined interpretation of " The One " and Sybok 's collective minds) is in a make-up screen test from a deleted scene of " Star Trek V: The Final Frontier ".

Andorian marriages were set in groups of four due to their unique four-gendered biology. This arrangement affected Andorians through the early years of their lives. Andorians' mating bondgroups were arranged at a young age in preparation for the shelthreth and the conception of a child. Andorian society has, in recent centuries, become increasingly fixated on the necessity of honoring the bond and conceiving children. Andorian youths are encouraged to identify with the bond over their own individuality. ( DS9 novel : Andor: Paradigm , et al.) It was known that the birth of a child to the clan conscious Andorians meant that they considered such events almost sacred. ( FASA RPG module : Star Trek: The Next Generation Officer's Manual )

Because the window of fertility was so narrow in Andorians, marriage typically took place very early in adulthood; twenty-three was considered quite old for an Andorian not to be married. ( DS9 novel : Avatar, Book One )

Rituals [ ]

• Rite of Kanlee

Recreation [ ]

• Kochek • Andorian blues

Nutrition [ ]

Most Andorian foods are considered edible to Humans, and vice-versa. However, chocolate-or at least Argelian chocolate-is a poison to Andorians. ( DS9 novel : Time's Enemy )

Like most Humanoid species, the Andorians enjoy the intoxicating effects of alcohol . By far, the most popular variety of Andorian alcohol, both among Andorians themselves and their trading partners, is their ale. Andorian ale is produced in vast quantities on Andoria and offworld colonies like Syrinx III , and is one of the Andorian Empire's primary exports. Andorian ale is colored blue, with most varieties appearing somewhat translucent. It is similar in appearance to Romulan ale , although it is not as potent. That said, it has considerably higher alcohol content than Human ales; seeing as Andorians are no more resistant to the effects of alcohol than Humans, Andorian ale is usually served in small glasses (above). A particular variety of the drink, chemically enhanced to produce a luminous effect, is known as "glow-ale". Other alcoholic drinks include Gredlahr , which is similar to Terran rum only sweeter, and the "Andorian Sunset" cocktail, which is created from Andorian ingredients but was probably invented by Humans. The cocktail is purple in color, resembling a genuine Andorian sunset. Popular non-alcohol beverages among Andorians include "citrus drinks" made from the juice of Yutann, an equivalent to the citrus fruits of Earth. These drinks are known for their strong odor, often unpleasant to non-Andorians. According to the Ferengi Nog , they smell like a combination of lemon oil and Terran goats . Faridd is a carbonated soda-like beverage. Srjula is a nutritious formula served to infants and young children, although it cannot, of course, compare to Zhiassa , the Zhavey ’s milk . Katheka is an Andorian stimulant beverage roughly analogous to Earth coffee . An Andorian equivalent to tea is Fridd , which is often served ice-cold; you drink it as it thaws.

Weapons [ ]

• Chaka (short range)
• Dosalnar (short range)
• Hrisal (short range)
• Kal'hris (mid-range)

History [ ]

It was the migration of early Andorian tribal clans to the the more temperate latitudes that caused the race to become violent yet efficient warriors. In the northern regions of their home world which were warmer, the Andorians found an abundance of food and learnt rudimentary agriculture. However, the warmer climate that affected the clans made them more war-like which led to conflict as they began to fight with one another for land as well as food even though there was plenty to go around at the time. The northern tribes grew hungrier for war as a result and they moved south to fight the clans in those polar regions. Fortunately, the colder climate curbed the invaders violent tendencies and led to a logical resolution to the conflict. ( FASA RPG module : The Federation ) Around 30,000 years ago was the end of the Andorian stone age with the earliest recognizable Andorian cities being formed. ( Last Unicorn RPG module : All Our Yesterdays: The Time Travel Sourcebook )

Since that point forward, the Andorians were engaged in constant warfare which was fought between the many warlords of both the local as well as regional levels. Each battled one another either for political or military advantage but other motives were present such as personal grudges or even sheer pique. These campaigns often shed a great deal of Andorian blood and was another reason for the species rise as being warriors of virtue, courage, personal honor and skill at arms. This inter-species warfare ended by the year 1284 when the warlord Krotus arose and united the entire planet under his rule. It was during his reign that the Andorians entered their Industrial Age and achieved a level of peace as well as prosperity that was not known prior to that time. However, this period of their history came to a traumatic end when Krotus was assassinated by his own daughter in 1332 . Deprived of his strong leadership, the Andorians fractured politically until 1597 when a dispute between two local warlords for control over a trade route at the Tharan Mountains ignited the tribal conflicts once more. ( Decipher RPG module : Worlds )

This return to warfare was different from previous generations as this time the Andorian clan chieftains possessed advanced weaponry that was equal to that of Earth 's 20th century . What followed a tragic and horrific period in their racial history that was known as the Time of Lament which lasted nearly a century and almost decimated the Andorian population. The after effects of this age had a devastating blow to Andoria's economic and infrastructure with many parts of the world returning to a pre-industrial age level of technology. From this ruined world arose Lor'Vela who was 14 years of age in 1692 who attempted to persuade her people to step away from the endless cycle of conflict. Lor'Vela herself fell sick at this time as she was sickened by her peoples destructive ways after witnessing her mother a kethni leader defeat a rival. From her sickness, she received a vision of her world restored to the glory that it had achieved from the reign of Krotus. When Lor'Vela recovered, she challenged and killed her mother in a duel thus gaining control over her kethni. After that, she sent ambassadors to the other clans that survived the Time of Lament and summoned them to the city of Tarsk . At the Council of Tarsk , she managed to convince the other kethni to abandon their war-like ways against one another and to demonstrate her new goal for unity - she released all the captives that her kethni held and allowed them to return to their respective clans. This act stunned the others who were persuaded in joining Lor'Vela in this dramatic shift in their society and form a world government. This led to the destruction of all written records before this period in the 17th century in order to erase any knowledge of past misdeeds that might trigger further conflict. ( Decipher RPG module : Worlds )

Lor'Vela's actions would save her species who entered into their space age by the late 18th century and began colonizing space near their homeworld. This saw the development of 19 impulse ships that were filled with colonists in suspended animation and allowed them to colonize neighboring star systems. ( Decipher RPG module : Worlds ) During the 19th century , specifically in 1875 , the primitive space farring Andorians encountered a Romulan starship carrying Emperor Vitellus with his vessel around the planet Andor. Though technologically inferior. through sheer luck, the Romulan ships shields collapsed and the Andorians managed to seriously damage the ship with their primitive weaponry. The ship later crashed on Andor where most of the crew were killed leaving Emperor Vitellus the only survivor who died shortly afterwards. At the time, he had been carrying an artifact known to his people as the Bloodstone which was recovered by a Healer known as Telev . At the time, his homeworld had succumbed to a terrible plague and used the artifact he had recovered from Vitellus to save his people from further suffering. This artifact would later be known as "Telev's Bane" and became linked deeply with Andorian history. At some unknown point in the future, the Andorians made first contact with the Ferengi who threatened them with full scale slaughter unless they were provided with merchandise to trade. One of the items given to the Ferengi was Telev's Bane. ( TNG novel : The Devil's Heart )

On reference stardate -1/8703 , the Andorians tested their first prototypes of sub-light interstellar starships. This later culminated in the formation of the Andorian Empire in -1/9609 with the first colonization of another world by Andorian explorers. ( FASA RPG module : The Federation ) Many of the early exploration efforts were lost and their fates were never discovered though enough managed to survive to form colonies that would be recontacted in the future when Andoria developed the warp drive in 2118 . The already formed colonies served as a delicate chain of outposts that allowed the Andorians to further explore space and some of these Andorian worlds such as Cimera III made contact with other species such as Vulcanoid Rigellians . ( Decipher RPG module : Worlds ) The Andorians were one of the few races that had developed warp drive technology by themselves. This allowed them to establish the Andorian Star Clan , an interstellar empire that consisted of 13 planets. ( FASA RPG module : The Federation )

As the Andorian Empire expanded, they eventually came into contact with the remnants of the Vegan Tyranny on reference stardate 0/2204 with conflict erupting between the two. This war would rage across many years and ultimately ensure the downfall of the Tyranny who were unable to reform their empire and brought about them eventually disappearing from the galactic arena. ( FASA RPG module : The Federation ) They would later encounter the Vulcan 's who were distressed by the Andorians violent nature and attempted to guide the species. However, the Andorians reacted violently to the Vulcans efforts as they believed the Vulcans were both overtly as well as covertly hampering their attempts at becoming an interstellar power. This led to a number of skirmishes between the two races until the signing of the Tau Ceti Accords . ( Decipher RPG module : Aliens ) During First contact with the Terrans , the Andorians opened fired on the Human exploratory vessel, leading to hostilities that almost erupted into war. But before the Terran Alliance could mobilize, the Andorians received peaceful diplomatic overtures from the Vulcans ' peace mission. ( FASA RPG module : The Federation )

In 2155 , the Andorians along with the Tellarites were greatly disappointed in the Vulcan government not aiding the Coalition members against the aggressive actions of the Romulan Star Empire . Though ambassador Soval urged the Andorians and the Tellarites to remove themselves from the frontlines, the Andorians did not comply and instead attempted to aid the United Earth forces against the Romulans. It was only after the destruction of the Ka'Thalen Krotus and the battle of Threllvia IV did the Andorian government reconsider their options after learning that their vessels were particularly vulnerable to the Romulan remote hijacking weapon. ( ENT - The Romulan War novel : Beneath the Raptor's Wing )

During the 22nd century , Andorians armed their torpedo warheads with sirillium . ( ST - Destiny novel : Gods of Night ) Despite years of co-existence with the Tellarites, the Andorians were known to hold hostile relations with this founding Federation member race. Furthermore, the Andorian Engineering Corps was noted to service Federation member vessels. ( TOS comic : " Burden of Knowledge, Issue 3 ")

Andorians [ ]

• Shras Endilev
• Thirishar ch'Thane
• Thelin th'Valrass
• Hravishran th'Zoarhi

Starships [ ]

See also [ ], appendices [ ], background [ ].

Appearances and references [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• TOS episode : " Journey to Babel "
• TOS episode : " Whom Gods Destroy "
• TNG - Gateways novel : The Other Side
• DS9 novel : Devil in the Sky
• DS9 novel : Avatar, Book One
• DS9 novel : Avatar, Book Two
• DS9 - Section 31 novel : Abyss
• DS9 - Gateways novel : Demons of Air and Darkness
• DS9 - Mission Gamma novel : Twilight
• DS9 - Mission Gamma novel : This Gray Spirit
• DS9 - Mission Gamma novel : Cathedral
• DS9 - Mission Gamma novel : Lesser Evil
• DS9 novel : Unity
• DS9 - Worlds of Deep Space Nine novella : Bajor: Fragments and Omens
• DS9 - Worlds of Deep Space Nine novella : Andor: Paradigm
• DS9 - The Maquis: Soldier of Peace - Issue 1 comic : " Vacation's Over "
• DS9 - Telepathy War comic : " Command Decisions "
• DS9 - Telepathy War comic : " Day of Honor "
• ENT episode : " The Andorian Incident "
• ENT episode : " Shadows of P'Jem "
• ENT episode : " Cease Fire "
• ENT episode : " Zero Hour "
• ENT episode : " Kir'Shara "
• ENT episode : " Babel One "
• ENT episode : " United "
• ENT episode : " The Aenar "
• ENT novel : The Good That Men Do
• ENT - The Romulan War novel : Beneath the Raptor's Wing
• ENT - The Romulan War novel : To Brave the Storm
• ENT - Rise of the Federation novel : A Choice of Futures
• ENT - Rise of the Federation novel : Uncertain Logic
• SA comic : " Prime Directives "
• SA comic : " Liberty "
• SA comic : " Loyalty Test "
• SA comic : " War and Peace "
• SA comic : " Love and Death "
• SA comic : " Passages "
• SA comic : " Hide and Seek "
• SA comic : " X² "
• SA comic : " Return to the Forbidden Planet "
• SA comic : " A Prelude to War "
• SA comic : " Judgment "
• SA - Telepathy War comic : " Renegades "
• ST - Telepathy War comic : " Heart of Darkness "
• ST - Telepathy War comic : " Reality's End "
• SA comic : " Parents' Day "
• SA - T'Priell Revealed comic : " Betrayal "
• SA - T'Priell Revealed comic : " Origins "
• SA - T'Priell Revealed comic : " The Fall "
• SA comic : " Culture Clash "
• SA comic : " mangHom qaD "
• SA comic : " Between Love and Hate "
• ST - Typhon Pact novel : Paths of Disharmony
• ST - The Fall novel : A Ceremony of Losses
• ST - Section 31 novel : Control
• ST - Divided We Fall comic : " Crossfire "
• ST - Divided We Fall comic : " No Quarter "
• ST - Divided We Fall comic : " All Fall Down "
• ST - Divided We Fall comic : " United We Stand "
• PIC novel : Firewall

References [ ]

• ↑ DS9 comic : " Renegades "
• ↑ Last Unicorn RPG module : The Andorians: Among the Clans
• FASA RPG module : Demand of Honor

External links [ ]

• Andorian article at Memory Alpha , the wiki for canon Star Trek .
• The Andor Files
• Andorian article at Star Trek Expanded Universe wiki , the wiki for fan-authored Star Trek .
• Andorian article at Star Fleet Universe wiki , the wiki for Star Fleet Universe / Star Fleet Battles .
• 1 Ferengi Rules of Acquisition
• 2 Achilles class
• 3 Odyssey class

Discovery 's newest crew member reveals his links to a forgotten Star Trek era

"His confidence and bombast have been stripped away."

In Star Trek, it's not easy being green. But being blue can be even harder.

Since writer Dorothy Fontana invented the blue-skinned Andorians for the 1967 Star Trek episode "Journey to Babel," these antenna-ed aliens have been fan favorites. Even so, there haven't been many Andorians in major roles on Trek, a tradition that Discovery changes with its latest episode.

Noah Averbach-Katz — who plays Ryn the Andorian — has been part of the Trek family for quite some time. Averbach-Katz is married to Mary Wiseman, who plays Sylvia Tilly on Discovery . He's also been a huge Trekkie since childhood. Averbach-Katz spoke with Inverse about how his deep love of the least popular Star Trek series was instrumental in bringing Ryn to life.

Spoilers ahead for Star Trek: Discovery Season 3, Episode 8, "Sanctuary."

In "The Sanctuary," the USS Discovery 's battle with the criminal empire known as The Emerald Chain gets serious. To protect Book 's (David Ajala) home planet, Ryn joins Lt. Demeter (Emily Coutts) in a Star Wars-style Death Star-run against the Orion Crime Lord Osyraa (Janet Kidder). Previously, Ryn helped liberate slaves from the planet Hunhau, taking a phaser blast meant for Book in the process.

Historically, the self-sacrificing, timid Andorian isn't something we've seen before. As a long-time fan of the prequel series Star Trek: Enterprise , Katz went back to the greatest Andorian of them all — Shran — in order to really figure out what his take on Ryn was going to be like.

Averbach-Katz on the set of 'Star Trek: Discovery.'

"I re-watched Journey to Babel,” of course," Averbach-Katz says."That's just to get your Andorian history. But really, I also watched every episode of Enterprise with Jeffrey Combs as Shran. I used his performance as a sort of template for the Über- Andorian. Everything I do comes off that template. For a species that has been around since the beginning of Trek, it’s interesting how little lore there was. It was cool to see how Combs invented the canon and disposition of this species."

Although widely regarded as the least-loved of all the Trek spin-offs, Averbach-Katz enthuses that he unabashedly loves Enterprise. Upon revealing that he was playing Ryn in Episode 6 of Discovery , Averbach-Katz tweeted a self-made video montage of all of his childhood photos at Star Trek conventions with his parents, set to the saccharine theme song of Enterprise , "Faith of the Heart." The video concludes with candid shots of himself, both in and out of makeup with his real-life spouse and other Discovery cast members.

A still from Katz's "Faith of the Heart" fan-made montage.

"My mom is a big Trekkie. She would drag me to the conventions. She would have these Star Trek parties — we would have all my friends over and watch the new episode of Enterprise . I’m one of the rare Trekkies who really grew-up on Enterprise . I not-so-secretly loved it. You’re kind of not supposed to, but I loved it."

Averbach-Katz isn't just a fan who happened to get married to a Star Trek actor and then become an Andorian. He also auditioned for the role of Spock in Discovery Season 2.

"Funnily enough, that was dummy script. It wasn't Spock. It was an Andorian named Tom. But I knew it was Spock right away," Averbach-Katz says. "Obviously, I didn’t get it, and Ethan did a great job. But, they really liked my take and they could see that understood the Star Trek genre. Then I got an audition for this character. I don’t know if they had me in mind, maybe I was the only person. Or maybe I was just the right one."

Jeffrey Combs as Shran, the Andorian, on 'Star Trek: Enterprise.'

As much as Averbach-Katz was inspired by Combs portrayal of Shran, the Discovery star says Ryn is basically the reverse of the Enterprise character.

"What [Shran] does so well is present this proud and confident species. But, what’s great about his arc in Enterprise is underneath that is a deep sensitivity, and underneath that sadness and pain and loss and joy," Averbach-Katz explains. "For Ryn, it's the opposite. He’s been tossed aside and almost destroyed. His confidence and bombast have been stripped away. His journey is building all that back up, getting all the bluster of what makes an Andorian laid out."

Averbach-Katz can't say how long he'll be on the series, or if Ryn appears in Season 4, but he did reveal he's been making the most of his downtime by playing Dungeon and Dragons with his Discovery castmates over Zoom. (He's the DM.) He describes it not only as "an opportunity to have fun and share stories that aren’t just about work," but also says it's also given him a chance to get to know Blu del Barrio and Ian Alexander better.

The Discovery cast's D&D Zoom game.

"They are such a hugely important addition to the current Star Trek. They are the new vanguard of what Star Trek is gonna be," Averbach-Katz says. "This is how younger generations will relate to this show, through Adira and Grey. I couldn’t think of better ambassadors than those two."

Star Trek: Discovery is streaming now on CBS All Access.

This article was originally published on Dec. 3, 2020

• Science Fiction

Old Federation Allies: Star Trek's Aenar And The Andorians Explained

Episode 2 of "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" properly introduced the Enterprise's chief engineer, Hemmer (Bruce Horak). Hemmer is a member of a familiar "Star Trek" species, but not quite the one you may think. Specifically, he's an Aenar (pronounced i-nar ), a subspecies of the Andorians. The pale white Aenar resemble their blue-skinned cousins, but there are some differences that go more than skin-deep. The Aenar are blind and have telepathic abilities which Andorians lack.

While not as famous as the Vulcans or Klingons, the Andorians go back to "Star Trek: The Original Series." The Aenar are a more recent introduction to the franchise, debuting in 2004 during an eponymous episode of "Star Trek: Enterprise." Indeed, Hemmer is the first Aenar main character in a "Trek" series. 

Let's look back at the history of these two closely related alien races.

Introducing the Andorians

The Andorians debuted in the second season of "Star Trek," specifically "Journey to Babel." In this episode, the Enterprise is assigned to transport numerous diplomatic delegations to the titular planet; among the representatives are Andorians. The villain of the episode is an Orion spy posing as an Andorian named Thelev (William O'Connell).

Written by D.C. Fontana, "Journey to Babel" is an important episode for the "Trek" canon. For one, it fleshes out Spock's backstory and marks the first appearance of his parents, Vulcan Ambassador Sarek (Mark Lenard) and Amanda Grayson (Jane Wyatt). On a more macro-scale, the episode makes the world of "Trek" feel much fuller by emphasizing that the Federation is more than just Humans and Vulcans.

Though very little of Andorian culture was revealed, Fontana's script described them as a "warrior breed," and ambassador Shras (Reggie Nalder) notes his people are "violent." Indeed, later works would depict the Andorians as militaristic, especially compared to their Federation comrades.

Of all the alien species introduced in the original "Trek," the Andorians had the most distinctive appearance. The work of make-up artist Fred Phillips , they were blue-skinned, white-haired, and with a pair of antennae atop their heads. Their costumes were vaguely medieval, with chain-mail beneath green/brown vestments. The Andorians certainly looked more like aliens than the Vulcans/Romulans or "TOS"-era Klingons. However, this was a double-edged sword. Make-up expenses kept the Andorians from being a major presence in the series; they only appeared in four episodes, and none besides "Babel" was more than a cameo. The same held true for the "Star Trek" films, where Andorian characters were little more than crowd filler in "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" and "The Voyage Home."

Absent from the Next Generation

The Andorians were an even more meager presence in the 24th-century era "Trek" shows, specifically "Next Generation," "Deep Space Nine," and "Voyager." Indeed, no Andorians appear in the latter two shows. The closest they came on "Next Generation" was a background appearance in "Captain's Holiday" and Data creating a holographic model of an Andorian in "The Offspring." The "TNG" Andorians looked more like the Great Gazoo, with green skin, a bulbous head, and longer antennae. With such a lacking design, perhaps it was for the best they didn't show up more.

A non-presence in the TV series, the expanded universe had to pick up the slack in fleshing out the Andorians. The "Deep Space Nine" novels by S.D. Perry on an offhand comment in "Data's Day" that Andorian marriages have four participants. Perry interpreted the species as not simply polyamorous but actually having four sexes: the roughly masculine chan and thaan and the approximately feminine zhen and shen. Take this with a grain of salt, though; "Trek" novels are treated as secondary canon and filmed works have depicted Andorians as a binary-sex race.

IDW's "Alien Spotlight" comic meta-series included an Andorian issue, published in 2007. Written by Paul D. Storrie with art by Leonard O'Grady, the issue centers on a 24th century Andorian named Sharad. A member of Starfleet Intelligence, Sharad finds that there is discontent among his people, some of whom prefer the "Old Ways" when Andorians were the types of conquerors who Starfleet often fights against. Sadly, this is one of the only "Trek" works that explore Andorians' place in the Federation.

Andorian resurgence on Enterprise

The first "Star Trek" series to explore the Andorians in any depth was "Enterprise." Producer Brannon Braga's goal was to , "take the goofiest aliens from 'The Original Series' and make them a real culture that's cool and believable."

Advances in make-up no doubt helped facilitate their increased presence; their antennae now protruded from their foreheads rather than from the top of their heads, where the make-up splotches could be concealed with hair. The "Enterprise" Andorian design was a big improvement on the "TNG" look, harkening closer to how they looked in the original series. "Enterprise" also boasted the first recurring Andorian character, Commander Shran (Jeffrey Combs), and the first appearance of Andorian ships.

"Enterprise" is a prequel , set in the mid-22nd century about 10 years before the Federation's founding. In a call back to "Journey to Babel," the Andorians were revealed as one of the four founding members of the Federation, alongside Humanity, Vulcans, and Tellarites. The series used the Andorians as foils for the Vulcans; warriors driven by passion and romanticism instead of logical scientists.

Debuting in "The Andorian Incident," Shran and his compatriots are initially antagonists; they hold the Vulcan monastery of P'Jem hostage, believing the Vulcans are using it as cover for a listening post. Things become greyer when it turns out their suspicions were right. For the rest of the series, the Andorians waffle between ally and antagonist to humanity but ultimately settle on the former side, reflected in the friendship between Shran and Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula). "Enterprise" Season 4 is also when we finally meet the Aenar.

"The Aenar" is the final chapter of a three-part "Enterprise" episode . The previous chapters centered around a Romulan drone ship equipped with a holographic projector to mimic other ships' appearance. The Romulans' goals were to foment unrest; Shran's ship is destroyed by the drone posing as a Tellarite ship.

In part 2, "United," the drone ship's pilot was revealed to be an Aenar. His people are properly introduced when Archer and Shran visit Andoria to get answers. Incidentally, this was the first onscreen depiction of the Andoria, revealed as a cold, harsh world where the inhabitants dwell underground.

The Aenar are a pacifistic and isolationist people; the Romulans' pilot Gareb (Scott Allen Rinker) was abducted so his captors could exploit his telepathic abilities. Gareb's sister Jhamel (Alexandra Lydon) is able to communicate with her brother and sabotage the Romulans' plans.

"Enterprise" ended prematurely after Season 4. Considering it was building towards the Earth-Romulan War and the founding of the Federation from the ashes of conflict, it's a certainty the Andorians would've continued to be a major presence in the series. Whether the same is true for the Aenar remains unclear.

Andorians and Aenar in modern Star Trek

The Andorians have made sporadic appearances throughout "Star Trek: Discovery." The make-up hews close to the "Enterprise" iteration but with more accentuated facial features; a white version of this make-up was used to bring Hemmer to life. Animated comedy series "Star Trek: Lower Decks," (where make-up costs are a non-issue) also features a recurring Andorian character, Jennifer Sh'reyan (Lauren Lapkus).

"Strange New Worlds" marks the first appearance of the Aenar since their debut. Evidently, in the century since, at least some of them have abandoned their forebears' isolationism. Speaking to Nerdist , Horak described his character as:

"Crunchy outside and gooey on the inside. He is a bit crunchy on the outside. I think that comes from just his incredible intelligence and his incredible abilities. The Aenar species, at least as far as my research goes, is—they're a dying species. I think that kind of pressure might, or that kind of loneliness or aloneness, might give someone a bit of a crunchy exterior."

With Hemmer as part of the main cast, it's possible that "Strange New Worlds" will be the lynchpin series for the Aenar that "Enterprise" was for their Andorians cousins.

Star Trek: 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Thy'lek Shran

A constant frenemy to the NX-01, there's more than meets the antennae under that blue skin.

Making his debut in Enterprise's first season episode The Andorian Incident , Thy'Lek Shran, Star Trek's first recurring Andorian, wasted no time in making his mark on the show, and Trek lore as a whole.

Although his first appearance would portray him as a ruthless commando with a (not unfounded) distaste for Vulcan trickery, Shran would spend the next four seasons leaping and bounding across the line of hero and villain in the eyes of Captain Archer and the Enterprise crew.

Slavishly bound to Archer by a constantly shifting debt of oneupmanship and tit-for-tat, Shran's appearances would rapidly become a fixture of Enterprise's run. As his single-minded opposition to the hated Vulcans gradually shifts to one of conciliation, he becomes emblematic of the unity disparate societies could foster and, ultimately, leads to the formation of the Federation itself.

Whilst we can learn much about Andorian culture from Shran's appearances, there's still much we don't know about the man himself. Here then are some little-known facts about the tenacious commander, that may peak the antennae of even the most ardent of Trekkies

10. Nobody Else Could Play The Part

When casting the role of a recurring character, Star Trek's casting directors often have entire phonebooks of reliable names they can call upon, who sit for hours on end in make-up to portray myriad characters across Star Trek's multiple series.

Of all these names, few have such regard in the fan community as Jeffrey Combs. Reoccurring to the point of being meme-worthy, Combs' Trek acting CV includes Penk in Voyager' s Tsunkatse , the Ferengi Krem in earlier Enterprise episode Acquisition, and the megalomaniacal supercomputer AGIMUS in multiple episodes of Lower Decks . It's in Deep Space Nine , however, where Combs truly makes his mark, appearing as Tiron in the episode Meridian , as well as the recurring roles of Brunt (FCA) and five different versions of Weyoun.

It's unsurprising then that, when the time came to cast Shran, the team behind the camera knew exactly who to call. Combs was offered the part without even auditioning, and impressed the crew with his ability to act past the slightly silly antennae to create a character who could portray both threat and pathos with the kind of depth the role demanded.

Hampshire based Writer who spends his time rewatching Deep Space Nine, trying to be an actor and voraciously consuming every Metal album he can find. Final Fantasy IX is the greatest game of all time and this is the hill I will die on.

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

The Andorian Incident

• Episode aired Oct 31, 2001

Archer, Trip and T'Pol are captured by the Andorians at a Vulcan monastery on P'Jem. They believe that the monastery is being used to spy on Andoria. Archer, Trip and T'Pol are captured by the Andorians at a Vulcan monastery on P'Jem. They believe that the monastery is being used to spy on Andoria. Archer, Trip and T'Pol are captured by the Andorians at a Vulcan monastery on P'Jem. They believe that the monastery is being used to spy on Andoria.

• Roxann Dawson
• Gene Roddenberry
• Rick Berman
• Brannon Braga
• Scott Bakula
• John Billingsley
• Jolene Blalock
• 10 User reviews
• 5 Critic reviews

Top cast 25

• Capt. Jonathan Archer

• Sub-Cmdr. T'Pol

• Lt. Malcolm Reed

• Ensign Travis Mayweather

• Ensign Hoshi Sato

• Cmdr. Charles 'Trip' Tucker III

• Cmdr. Shran

• Vulcan Elder

• Vulcan Initiate

• Tactical Crewman

• Vulcan Monk
• (uncredited)

• Female Crewmember

• Ensign Billy
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Did you know

• Trivia This is the first episode to prominently feature Andorians since Yesteryear (1973) , where an Andorian officer had Spock's job on the Enterprise in an alternate history.
• Goofs Several times during the episode, the edge of Shran's costume rubs against his neck revealing Jeffrey Combs' natural skin colour under his blue makeup.

Captain Jonathan Archer : If anyone has a suggestion, I'm all ears.

[Looks at the Vulcans in the room]

Captain Jonathan Archer : No offence.

• Connections Featured in Treksperts Briefing Room: The Andorian Incident w/ Fred Dekker (2021)
• Soundtracks Where My Heart Will Take Me Written by Diane Warren Performed by Russell Watson Episode: {all episodes}

User reviews 10

• Mar 7, 2017
• October 31, 2001 (United States)
• Official Site
• Santa Ventura Studios - 5301 North Ventura Avenue, Ventura, California, USA
• Paramount Network Television
• Paramount Television
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 45 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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• 1 History and politics
• 2 Physiology
• 3.1 Language
• 3.2 Cuisine
• 4.1 Technology
• 5.1 Appearances
• 5.2 Background information
• 5.3 Apocrypha
• 5.4 External link

History and politics [ ]

The Bolians underwent a period of history known as the Middle Ages . ( VOY : " Death Wish ")

As of 2151 , Bolians had encountered Ferengi . ( ENT : " Acquisition ")

By the 23rd century , Bolians were associated with the Federation , with several officers serving in Starfleet . A Bolian was among the casualties in the crash of the Federation medical frigate USS Hiawatha in 2256 , during the Federation-Klingon War . ( DIS : " Brother ") Another Bolian, Zier , served on the USS Enterprise in 2259 as an ensign . ( SNW : " Spock Amok ")

By 2366 , the Bolians were maintaining an uneasy truce with the Moropa . ( TNG : " Allegiance ")

A Bolian Admiral as Starfleet Academy commandant in 2372

In the 2360s and 2370s , Bolians were prominent in high-ranking positions in the Federation and in Starfleet, including as Academy commandant in 2372 , as well as an active Federation ambassador by 2369 . ( TNG : " Conspiracy "; DS9 : " The Forsaken ", " Paradise Lost ") Bolians were among the hundreds of different humanoid species living on Earth as of the 2370s. ( DS9 : " Homefront ", " Paradise Lost "; VOY : " Non Sequitur ", " Hope and Fear ")

Bolian territory was a hotbed between the Federation and the Dominion during the Dominion War . A front was established by the Sixth Fleet in 2374 to prevent Dominion forces from taking the Bolian border and outlying colonies. Starfleet developed a new strategy during the war on the Bolian front which was known as the Bolian Operation . ( DS9 : " Behind the Lines ", " The Reckoning ", " Penumbra ")

In a scene cut from TNG : " The Chase ", it was implied that the Bolian homeworld was not a member of the Federation as of 2369.

Further ambiguity in terms of Bolarus's status in the Federation after 2377 is shown in a scene from " Q2 ". In the episode a Bolian hologram is part of a mining dispute that "could lead to war" and the presence of Starfleet officers is questioned by other parties. However, as Federation membership is for planets and likely does not encompass whole species (e.g., the several Humans we know of that are clearly not affiliated with the Federation), membership of Bolarus remains a possibility.

Physiology [ ]

A Bolian child

Bolians were distinctively known for a bifurcating ( cartilaginous ) ridge running vertically along the center of the head and face, and partway down the chest. Skin color ranged from light green-blue to blue-gray to vivid blue and was occasionally accented with dark blue bands on the head.

Both Bolian males and females were predominately bald. However, there were the occasional few who had hair . ( TNG : " Allegiance ", " Ménage à Troi "; VOY : " Ashes to Ashes "; PRO : " Preludes ") They were on average as tall as the average Human , and were not known for their physical prowess. ( DS9 : " The Magnificent Ferengi ") Bolians have been known to wear toupées on occasion. ( DS9 : " The Muse ")

In addition to the ridge on their heads, they were also noted for having cartilaginous lining on their tongues that allowed them to consume foods not normally palatable by other races, including strong acids . ( VOY : " Flashback ") One such example of traditional Bolian cuisine was the consumption of meat that had been allowed to partially decay. ( DS9 : " Crossfire ")

The Doctor was particularly interested in the topic of the Bolian digestive system , and put together a piece on the topic in Hints for Healthful Living – a part of the daily USS Voyager morning show, A Briefing with Neelix . ( VOY : " Investigations ")

A Bolian heart hooked up to a Betelgeusian heart

Bolian hearts were on the right side of their body. This was where Zim Brott was shot by the serial killer Chu'lak in 2375 . ( DS9 : " Field of Fire ") A Bolian heart could be hooked up to an injured Betelgeusian 's heart, a procedure Jett Reno used to keep " Valentine " alive in 2256 . ( DIS : " Brother ")

Bolian blood

When removed from the body, Bolian blood was blue in color. ( DS9 : " The Adversary "; LD : " Temporal Edict ". The chemistry of their blood was very different from Vulcans . If a blood transfusion was given from a Vulcan to a Bolian it would result in the death of the Bolian. ( VOY : " Prototype ")

Intimate relations between Bolians and Humans typically caused adverse effects to the latter, which might include fatigue , nausea , and joint inflammation . ( VOY : " Life Line ")

Although no substantial reason was given, details of their "inner workings" were hinted at in VOY : " Bride of Chaotica! ". When power shortages affected Voyager , Neelix warned Captain Janeway that there were only four functional lavatories for the 150 people on the ship, which was especially a problem as there were Bolians on board. In VOY : " 11:59 ", Janeway gave an accounting of the view about 21st century Earth history, as seen by several races, including the Bolians. According to her, the Bolian historian (s) expressed dismay at the low quality of Human plumbing .

The common denominator between excrement, blood, needing natural protection within the mouth, and sexual relations would be bodily fluid. It is therefore possible that Bolian internal chemistry is corrosive.

Certain Earth invertebrates can have naturally blue blood from having copper-based hemocyanin to carry oxygen instead of iron-based hemoglobin.

Society and culture [ ]

Two Bolians courting

A Bolian medical philosophy on euthanasia was developed during their Middle Ages known as the "double effect" principle. This form of assisted suicide stated that " an action that has the principal effect of relieving suffering may be ethically justified even though the same action has the secondary effect of possibly causing death. " ( VOY : " Death Wish ")

Bolian courtship initiation consisted of a male and female Bolian pressing foreheads with eyes closed, while both participants touched the neck of their partner with both hands, placing the fingers where one would check the pulse of a species with a circulatory system similar to that of Humans. ( VOY : " Someone to Watch Over Me ") Bolian marriages were sometimes polyamorous . Any additional spouse was referred to as a "co-husband" or "co-wife", respectively. ( DS9 : " Field of Fire ") During a pregnancy, they believed that if one gave birth near a warp core , the experience improved the baby's disposition. ( VOY : " Lineage ")

Bolian individuals tended to be highly outspoken, even when it was not requested. ( TNG : " Ensign Ro ", et. al.) Due to the "good nature" personality types often perceived in Bolians, they were often accustomed to working in various service professions. Bolian barbers and waiters were employed aboard the USS Enterprise -D during its mission. ( TNG : " Data's Day ", et al.) Captain Janeway once encountered the personality of an assimilated Bolian manicurist during a discussion with Seven of Nine . ( VOY : " Infinite Regress ") Bolian shop owners and restaurateurs maintained a presence on the Promenade of Deep Space 9 . ( DS9 : " Shadowplay ", " Resurrection ", " Crossfire ")

A form of greeting involved extending the hand as if for a Human handshake, but with the palm down and the fingers curved part way. ( TNG : " Conspiracy ")

Bolian-written histories of 21st century Earth took special notice of the allegedly poor state of Human plumbing during that time period. ( VOY : " 11:59 ")

Language [ ]

Bolian language script from the logo of the Bank of Bolias .

Bolian language script from the logo of a Bolian drink.

The Human name Frederick bore a close resemblance to an impolite Bolian term. ( VOY : " Dreadnought ")

A bottle with Bolian writing from the Star Trek: Enterprise episode " Rajiin " was sold off on the It's A Wrap! sale and auction on eBay. [1] (X)

Cuisine [ ]

Bolian food, to non-Bolians, sounded very unappetizing (although it was tasty), as in some dishes, preparation involved the use of aged meat . ( DS9 : " Crossfire ")

• Bolian soufflé
• Bolian tomato soup
• Bolian tonic water
• Alandra (hologram)

Economy and trade [ ]

Symbol for the Bank of Bolias

The Bank of Bolias was the primary financial institution of the Bolians and many off-worlders.

Fluctuations in Bolian currency played an important role in Alpha Quadrant trade. In 2371 , Quark , the Ferengi trade intermediary between the Karemma and the Federation, discussed Bolian currency fluctuations with Hanok . ( DS9 : " Starship Down ")

The Bolians were among many Federation races that took advantage of the starbase Deep Space 9 and the Bajoran wormhole . Bolian vessels frequently conducted trade through the station during the 2370s, often falling victim to nearby Maquis raids. ( DS9 : " Tribunal ") In 2371, a Maquis ship disabled two Bolian freighters near the Demilitarized Zone and stole its shipment of photon launchers . ( DS9 : " The Maquis, Part I ") The Maquis would again attack two Bolian freighters in 2373 , stealing several thousand tons of rhodium nitrite and selenium . ( DS9 : " For the Uniform ")

In 2373, the Bolians authorized the Ferengi Gaming Commission to manage their gambling emporiums . ( DS9 : " Ferengi Love Songs ")

Bolian crystalsteel was a type of Bolian commodity. ( DS9 : " The Jem'Hadar ")

An establishment curiously called The Red Bolian was located on Freecloud . ( PIC : " Stardust City Rag ")

Technology [ ]

• Bolian freighter
• Bolian vessel
• Bolian transport

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• " Conspiracy " ( Season 1 )
• " Allegiance " (disguise) ( Season 3 )
• " Ménage à Troi "
• " Data's Day " ( Season 4 )
• " First Contact "
• " The Host "
• " Ensign Ro " ( Season 5 )
• " Time's Arrow, Part II " ( Season 6 )
• " Schisms "
• " Birthright, Part I "
• Star Trek Generations
• Star Trek: First Contact
• Star Trek: Insurrection
• Star Trek Nemesis
• " Emissary " ( Season 1 )
• " Captive Pursuit "
• " The Forsaken "
• " The Siege " ( Season 2 )
• " Whispers "
• " Shadowplay "
• " Playing God "
• " The Maquis, Part I "
• " The Maquis, Part II "
• " The Wire "
• " The Collaborator "
• " Tribunal "
• " The Jem'Hadar "
• " The Search, Part II " ( Season 3 )
• " Meridian "
• " Visionary "
• " Distant Voices "
• " Family Business "
• " The Adversary "
• " The Way of the Warrior " ( Season 4 )
• " The Visitor "
• " Homefront "
• " Paradise Lost "
• " Crossfire "
• " Bar Association "
• " Hard Time "
• " The Muse "
• " For the Cause "
• " Broken Link "
• " Apocalypse Rising " ( Season 5 )
• " Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places "
• " Nor the Battle to the Strong "
• " Let He Who Is Without Sin... "
• " Rapture "
• " In Purgatory's Shadow "
• " Doctor Bashir, I Presume "
• " A Simple Investigation "
• " Business as Usual "
• " Ties of Blood and Water "
• " Empok Nor "
• " In the Cards "
• " You Are Cordially Invited " ( Season 6 )
• " Who Mourns for Morn? "
• " Honor Among Thieves "
• " Tears of the Prophets "
• " Afterimage " ( Season 7 )
• " Field of Fire "
• " Caretaker " ( Season 1 )
• " Learning Curve "
• " Non Sequitur " ( Season 2 )
• " Hunters " ( Season 4 )
• " In the Flesh " ( Season 5 )
• " Someone to Watch Over Me "
• " Repression " ( Season 7 )
• " Workforce "
• " Workforce, Part II "
• " Q2 " ( hologram )
• " Author, Author "
• " Endgame "
• DIS : " Brother " ( Season 2 )
• " Second Contact " ( Season 1 )
• " Temporal Edict "
• " Moist Vessel "
• " Strange Energies " ( Season 2 )
• " An Embarrassment Of Dooplers "
• " I, Excretus "
• " First First Contact "
• " The Least Dangerous Game " ( photos only) ( Season 3 )
• " Mining The Mind's Mines " (photos only)
• " Hear All, Trust Nothing "
• " The Inner Fight " ( Season 4 )
• " Asylum " ( Season 1 )
• " Let Sleeping Borg Lie "
• " Preludes " ( flashback )
• " Mindwalk "
• " Supernova, Part 1 "
• " Into the Breach, Part I " ( Season 2 )
• " Spock Amok " ( Season 1 )
• " The Broken Circle " ( Season 2 )
• " Ad Astra per Aspera "
• " Lost in Translation "

Background information [ ]

Bolians are named after Cliff Bole , who directed the first Star Trek: The Next Generation episode to feature the species, " Conspiracy ". ( Star Trek Encyclopedia , 2nd ed., p. 48) Bolians were first identified by name in " Allegiance ". The Cliffs of Bole , mentioned in " Invasive Procedures " are a further play on his name.

According to an internal reference document, listing all the aliens seen in Star Trek: The Next Generation , which was circulated around the time of the production of TNG Season 5 , the Bolians were given the description of "A Federation race of humanoids – paleish blue skin, longer ears tha[n] Human[s], and are bald."

Rene Auberjonois commented: " I always thought The Bolians were great looking and fascinating. I wish they’d done more with them ". [2]

Apocrypha [ ]

According to the Pocket VOY novel Pathways , Bolian skin is highly prized by Cardassians . Cardassian women in particular enjoy wearing it.

According to the Gallery DIS novel Desperate Hours by David Mack , a blue-skinned humanoid serving on the bridge of the USS Shenzhou was Lieutenant Troke, a Tulian. The Tulians are a cousin species to Bolians who eagerly embraced cybernetic technology.

The Bolians also shared a common ancestor with a race called the Bolastre of Myrmidon , as mentioned in The Genesis Wave .

External link [ ]

• Bolian at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• 2 Daniels (Crewman)
• 3 Klingon augment virus

Star Trek: Who Are The Bolians?

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The Rubber-Forehead Aliens Trope In Sci-Fi, Explained

Star trek: who is robin lefler, logan director has harsh words for cinematic universes following wolverine's mcu debut.

The vast, wondrous universe of Star Trek features an array of captivating alien species. Among them, the Bolians stand out as a unique and intriguing race. These beings hail from the farthest reaches of space, delighting fans with their rich history and distinct characteristics.

Throughout the various Star Trek series, the Bolians have played significant roles, often occupying high-ranking positions within the United Federation of Planets and Starfleet. Notably, in 2372, a Bolian held the prestigious role of Academy commandant, overseeing the training of the next generation of Starfleet officers. By 2369, another Bolian had taken on the vital role of an active Federation ambassador, representing their people in important diplomatic endeavors.

These accomplishments reflect the deep respect and trust placed in Bolians by the interstellar community. However, Bolians are not just limited to their roles in the Federation. Their presence extends beyond, with some members of their species choosing to reside on Earth alongside hundreds of other humanoid species in the 2370s.

Though the idea of aliens could contain any number of crazy biological designs, most sci-fi aliens turn out to be humans with one or two weird traits.

What truly distinguishes Bolians from other alien races is their distinctive appearance. The first thing that captures the eye is their striking blue skin, which sets them apart in a diverse galaxy. Bolians also possess a unique cranial structure, which forms an iconic crest on their heads. This crest is not only a physical feature, but also a symbol of their identity and culture.

While their blue skin and cranial crest make Bolians easily recognizable, there's a deeper, more intricate story to uncover about these fascinating beings. The Bolians' rich history, values, and contributions to the Star Trek universe make them a compelling and integral part of the tapestry of interstellar life.

Origin and History

Bolians, who were first introduced in The Next Generation , are native to the planet Bolarus IX. Their unique culture and identity were introduced in Season 1, Episode 10, "Haven." Bolians quickly became a staple in the series, their presence stretching across multiple Star Trek incarnations.

Bolarus IX, the Bolians' homeworld, is a member of the United Federation of Planets , emphasizing their commitment to interstellar cooperation and peace. Their journey to becoming a part of the Federation was marked by their devotion to diplomacy, where they showcased their exceptional talents in mediation and conflict resolution. Bolians played a pivotal role in various peace negotiations, contributing to the harmony of the Star Trek universe.

Physiology and Abilities

The most distinctive feature of Bolians is their unique appearance, characterized by a cerulean-blue complexion and a noticeable dorsal ridge running along the center of their heads. These ridges are a significant part of Bolian physiology, and each pattern is as unique as a human fingerprint. Bolians tend to be quite talkative, even when no one has asked for their opinion.

Bolians possess a keen intellect and a knack for administration, which makes them ideally suited for diplomatic roles. Their empathetic and understanding nature further supports their proficiency in negotiations. Additionally, Bolians exhibit enhanced durability, which can be attributed to their unique biological makeup.

Popular Bolian Characters and Appearances

Throughout the various Star Trek series, several Bolian characters have made a lasting impact on fans.

Captain Rixx

Captain Rixx, played by Michael Berryman, was a male Bolian Starfleet officer in The Next Generation . He was the first Bolian audiences saw on screen, and had a different look compared to the Bolians in later episodes of the show.

Perhaps one of the most recognizable Bolian characters, Mot was portrayed by actor Ken Thorley. He was the ship's barber aboard the USS Enterprise-D in The Next Generation . While not a central character, his distinctive appearance and charming personality left a lasting impression on fans.

Mot owns Mr. Mot's Hair Emporium, located in Stardust City. It was later revealed that the barbershop was located on the same street as the club where Cristóbal Rios went to locate Bruce Maddox in 2399. It was also next door to Quark's Bar in Picard .

The Bolian crewmember Chell appeared in the Voyager series. Played by Derek McGrath, Chell was a versatile character who provided a unique perspective on life in the Delta Quadrant .

Ensign Zier

Portrayed by Torri Webster in Strange New Worlds , Zier is a female Bolian Starfleet officer. Her narrative unfolds in the 23rd century, where she serves in the esteemed science division aboard the iconic starship, the USS Enterprise.

Bolians are an integral part of the Star Trek universe. Their history, physiology, and diplomatic abilities make them a compelling species that has left an indelible mark on the series. Whether as diplomatic envoys, skilled negotiators, or endearing characters in the shows, Bolians continue to captivate fans with their distinctive presence and unique culture . As sci-fi fans explore the depths of space in the Star Trek universe, we can always count on the Bolians to be there, contributing to the spirit of unity and cooperation that defines the franchise.

MORE: Star Trek: The Tellarite Race, Explained

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Star trek: 10 alien species explained.

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Star Trek Isn’t Supposed To Have Money: What Is Latinum?

B'elanna torres has an awesome new role in the star trek universe, completing her voyager arc, after 57 years, star trek settles the truth about trelane's godlike species.

With the recent launch of Star Trek: Picard, there has never been a better time to brush up on one’s knowledge of the alien species inhabiting the franchise’s diverse and colorful universe. Since the original series, learning the intricacies, curiosities, and nuances of strange alien cultures has been one of the pervading joys of Star Trek fandom.

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The idea of a future where humans are successfully navigating such vast societal and physiological differences is hopeful and inspiring, core to Gene Rodenberry’s vision of a better and more moral human race. This list examines ten species that the Federation encountered across series.

10. Changeling 

Changelings are amorphous beings, able to shapeshift into any corporal form due to a quantum and cellular structure described in Deep Space Nine as a ‘morphogenic matrix’. They do not require food to live and seem to have an indefinite lifespan. Core to their culture is the ability to join together when in liquid form, something referred to as the ‘great link’. This collective existence is considered superior to that of the individual.

In Deep Space Nine, Head of Security Odo is a changeling who has separated from his species, and who has a somewhat fractured sense of identity as a result. Having been raised by Bajorans, he chooses to maintain a human-like appearance in order to better assimilate with his peers but also has personality traits typical of his race, such as a tendency towards order and discipline.

9. El-Aurian

The El-Aurian are a near-extinct species who are physically identical to humans, but who are capable of a lifespan spanning several centuries. They were known as a wise and enigmatic race of listeners and explorers, and visited earth long before humans were aware of alien civilizations or had warp capabilities. The El-Aurian homeworld was decimated by the Borg, who killed the people in their millions and left just a few survivors scattered throughout the universe.

One of these is Guinan, the bartender at Ten Foward in  The Next Generation.  Guinan was played by Whoopi Goldberg, who publicly accepted an invitation from Patrick Stewart to join the cast of  Picard,  so we should be seeing more of this race shortly.

8. Andorian

With blue skin, white hair and dexterous head antennae, Andorians are native to Andoria, an icy moon in a system neighboring planet Vulcan’s. Despite making their first appearance in the original series, they are somewhat underused in the Star Trek universe, featuring most prominently in the short-lived Star Trek: Enterprise, which establishes them as founding members of the United Federation of Planets. Prior to this, the Andorians had limited contact with other races and a history of conflict with the Vulcans.

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Although they possessed an initial mistrust of humans, who they pejoratively refer to as ‘pink skins’, in Star Trek: Enterprise, Captain Archer is able to form a friendship with Andorian starship Captain Thy'lek Shran, foreshadowing the future alliance between the species.

The Sheliak are another non-humanoid race who debut in Star Trek: The Next Generation . They are bizarre-looking, consisting of a black, nebulous shape with metallic-like scales and no obvious face. They are hostile towards humans, with a dislike of human languages, in particular, deeming them basic and irrational.

Since the Sheliak despises ambiguity within communication, the Federation was able to avoid conflict with them by agreeing on a highly specific and complex treaty, though they do have a brief disagreement with the Enterprise in Next Gen .

6. Antedean

According to Star Trek lore, Fleetwood Mac co-founder Mick Fleetwood was so desperate to appear in the series that he agreed to cameo in The Next Generation as an Antedian, a never-seen-before species that resemble a kind of fish/human hybrid. 

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They are bipedal, with blue skin, various fish-like facial protrusions, and large side-facing eyes. Despite being capable of spaceflight, they can only physically endure it by entering a comatose state, and must replenish themselves after long journeys by eating large amounts of their preferred food - fish. They are also highly susceptible to telepathy, which is why Betazoid Deanna Troi is able to quickly expose two Antedians aboard the Enterprise - Mick Fleetwood and his companion - as secret assassins.

Like a lot of alien races in Star Trek, the J’Naii are only physically distinguishable from humans by a series of facial ridges, in addition to a distinct lack of eyebrows and uniformly brunette hair. Culturally, they are very different, however, as they are a species that completely reject the notion of gender.

They were introduced in The Next Generation in honor of Gene Rodenberry’s desire to address LGBT issues, and depict a human race who've come to accept all minority groups. In 'The Outcast', Riker becomes romantically involved with a J'Naii who is increasingly ostracized for identifying with the female gender. This episode must be one of the earliest pop-culture explorations of an issue that has recently taken center stage.

The Anear are a small race of people descended from Andorians and native to the 'Northern Wastes' of icy planet Andora, a region with sub-zero temperatures uninhabitable to most biological life.

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They have much paler skin than Andorians and milky-white eyes, owed to them being completely blind, and are so reclusive that they were once considered a myth on Andora. Thus far, they have only been depicted in  Star Trek: Enterprise.

3. Nausicaan

Nausicaan's are a large and imposing race with great physical strength and a reputation for space-piracy. They look a little like the 'Kradin', an alien that appeared in  Voyager and was criticized as being too similar to that of the  Predator franchise. They have sharp teeth or tusks at either side of their mouth and a number of facial ridges.

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Their most famous appearance is in  The Next Generation , when a group of Nausicaan pirates get into an altercation with a young Picard over a game of 'dom-jot'. A fight ensues and Picard is stabbed through the heart with a Nausiacaan sword, leading to him requiring an artificial heart - something that proves important to the plot of  Next Gen  season six.

When a group of Changelings founded 'The Dominion', an interstellar state committed to imposing totalitarian control all of the known universe, they required footsoldiers - administrators, scientists, and field commanders - to carry out their will. So they used genetic engineering to create the Vorta, taking a small, ape-like species and transforming them into humanoids with elongated ears, superior hearing and violet eyes. If killed, a Vorta is replaced with an identical clone who retains their memories.

This artificial creation process seems to have left the Vorta with a limited appreciation for human pursuits like pleasure, aesthetics, and culture. Nevertheless, they are an intelligent race, whose commitment to their creators is absolute.

Gomtuu is introduced in a Next Gen  episode based on Sci-Fi novel Tin Woodman,  about a sentient spacecraft. It is a millennia-old intelligent life form who may be the last of its mysterious race, with a warp drive, transporter capabilities, artificial gravity and other features of a traditional starship. However, Gomtuu is also a living, feeling creature with immense telepathic abilities, existing symbiotically with its crew.

After Gomtuu's crew are killed in an accident, the creature aimlessly drifts through space, eventually deciding to end its lonely existence via suicide, in an explosion wrought by a star going supernova. Its story is among the most tragic of any alien race depicted across series.

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What Do The Star Trek Uniform Colors Mean & Why Are They So Important?

"Star Trek" is definitely a technicolor wonderland of a show. That sense of eye-catching brilliance trickles down from the background scenery to the props used by each cast member, all the way to the uniforms the show's central crew wears as a part of their duties. 

It's easy to notice that the crew of the Starship Enterprise wear tunics in varying shades. Those colors are quite important — they denote which job class each crew member belongs to. Those classes were devised by series creator Gene Roddenberry and costume designer William Ware Theiss, and are intended to resemble the classifications used by the United States Military on noise-heavy aircraft carriers. 

Sometimes there are differences allowed for dress uniforms; the command staff, for instance, will wear green uniforms during formal occasions. And these rules aren't hard and fast ones; across the whole universe of "Star Trek" series, films, and other ephemera, the colors various officers wear on the show and the meanings behind them change depending on when the scene takes place in the show's general timeline. But these are the color codes that most often denote each character's job on the ship, and the ones used during the original "Star Trek" series to explain who is who and what they do.

The term 'red shirt' gained a negative connotation

Even if you're not a "Star Trek" fan, you've probably heard jokes about how often red-shirted officers are introduced to the show, only for them to quickly die during away missions. For a period of time, the term "red shirt" became a dirty word in the "Star Trek" world; it's gone on to take on a larger cultural significance, indicating that a person is a disposable background element easy to get rid of. And yet many of the show's red-toting characters are the franchise's longest-lasting individuals. The class encompasses the engineering, security, and communication staff positions on the Enterprise. Lt. Nyota Uhura (Nichelle Nichols) and Montgomery "Scotty" Scott (James Doohan) are among the most prominent crew members who wear scarlet hues. To wear red on the bridge is definitely a high honor.

Are 'red shirts' more doomed than their counterparts? Mathematician James Grime weighed in on the subject during a talk at New York's Museum of Mathematics in 2017. A simple statistical calculation revealed that 10% of the show's red-shirted denizens die during the original show's run — compared to 18 percent of golden-shirted characters. "There is some truth in the old 'Star Trek' myth if you look at security officers ... 20 percent of security officers died. So I think the moral of the story is, if you're on the starship Enterprise and you want to survive, be a scientist," he said.

Ironically, crimson red was eventually used to denote a position of authority on the ship; the uniforms that debuted in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" place the crew in scarlet togs, with no color divisions to mark them.

Blue denotes a scientific mind

If you're feeling blue during your time on the Enterprise, then you're probably logically-minded. Throughout much of the original "Star Trek" series, blue uniforms were given to the show's science and medical officers. That's why Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Nurse Christine Chapel (Majel Barrett), and Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy (DeForest Kelley) can be seen sporting blue tunics throughout the series' run. The designation of blue uniforms hasn't changed much during the course of various "Star Trek" series; blue and purple shades are used to indicate ship medics in such continuations of the universe as "Star Trek: The Next Generation."

Blue was also the chosen shade for the crew uniforms in "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," with splashes of brown, oatmeal and white. This change didn't go over well with the cast. Their rebellion against the baggy uniforms went beyond their alleged unsightliness; costume designer Robert Fletcher sewed shoes into the bottom of each uniform, forcing the actors to ask their assistants for help in completing simple tasks such as going to the bathroom. A change was promptly made for the next film, and the red Navy-style uniforms stuck with the whole movie franchise until "Star Trek: The Next Generation" was launched.

Golden shirts denote power

Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner), meanwhile, sports a gold-colored shirt. These are the outfits worn by those in command: largely, captains and other figures of authority. In other iterations of the show, gold tunics are worn by members of the ship's security staff. In any event, it's a uniform that denotes power.

But those shirts weren't actually intended to be golden at all; in reality, they were pale green tunics that were filmed as golden or orange-looking thanks to the sort of film the show used. According to an interview conducted with Bill Thiess in 1988 for Star Trek Prop Authority , it wasn't the show's intent to present Kirk and other captains as wearing gold at all. "It was one of those film stock things; it photographed one way – burnt orange or a gold. But in reality was another; the command shirts were definitely green." Unfortunately, thanks to that mistake the look has stuck, and Kirk's uniform is more often remembered as golden instead of green.

Whether they're sporting green or dodging danger in red, there's one thing officers on the Enterprise definitely know how to do – look stylish in a timelessly classical way.

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