Powerful Star Trek Races That Are Not Part Of The Federation

Summary

Not all advanced races want to join the Federation, with some actively working against its goals.
Despite their incredible psychic abilities, the Talosians have never been asked to join Starfleet.
The Borg's ability to adapt and use enemies' weapons against them makes them a powerful and terrifying force.

A basic premise of the Star Trek universe is that everyone wants to be part of the United Federation of Planets. Once a species or race discovers the science behind the warp drive and demonstrates this knowledge, they are extended an invitation, and many jump at the chance to take it.

every star trek show, ranked title image

Every Star Trek Series, Ranked

Star Trek has a long history of TV programming. Here's how each series measures up.

Posts

By Kristy Ambrose

However, that isn't always the case, even with advanced races who already have advanced warp knowledge. Not every race has a motive to be a part of the Federation and can function independently without them, and many others are actively working against the Federation and its goals.

7 The Talosians

The Earliest Star Trek Aliens

Homeworld: Talos 4
Introduced In: Star Trek: The Original Series pilot, "The Cage"

The Talosians were the very first alien race to appear on Star Trek, and although they were initially antagonists and the planet is currently restricted to visitors, they aren't exactly malevolent. This is more of a sad story of a dying race making a desperate attempt to preserve what few of them are left. They use powerful psychokinetic abilities to attain their goals, which can be anything from entertainment to survival.

The Talosians appeared as a benevolent race in Star Trek: Discovery, where they helped heal Spock, who was suffering from a serious psychic injury related to his encounter with the Red Angel. Despite their considerable abilities, they have never been asked to join Starfleet, nor have they ever made a request.

6 Romulans

Introduced In The Original Series

Homeworld: Romulus
Introduced In: Star Trek: TOS, S1E8, "Balance of Terror"

The Romulans have been antagonists for even longer than the Klingons, and the Romulan Star Empire was a force to be reckoned with for hundreds of years until the destruction of Romulus in Star Trek: Picard. Their resemblance to Vulcans isn't a coincidence; Romulans evolved from the Vulcans that left their home planet after the Time of Awakening and rejected the teachings of Surak.

6 Most Hateable Characters In Star Trek History, Ranked

The Star Trek universe is brimming with despicable villains and vile criminals, but few Star Trek characters are more easily hateable than these.

Posts 9

By Tom Thandi

Unlike the Klingons, who were overt in their aggression, the Romulans more often relied on stealth, spying, and intrigue to carry out their plans. Thanks to their resemblance to Vulcans, they were able to infiltrate sensitive government positions and sabotage Federation and Starfleet plans before the institutions even knew they were there.

5 The Q Continuum

An Early TNG Antagonist

Homeworld: An extra-dimensional plane beyond conventional space.
Introduced In: Star Trek: The Next Generation, S1E1, "Encounter At Fairpoint"

The character Q was an interesting foil to the practical and rule-oriented Picard. The captain was a career diplomat who behaved with decorum and understanding towards every race, even the chaotic and judgmental Q.

The beings of the Q Continuum are virtually gods, have existed since the beginning of the universe, and perhaps before, and possess a myriad of powers to create and destroy at will. They certainly don't need the Federation to preserve their existence, although they do have their weaknesses and flaws. Q has a lot of affection for humans, but he and his people don't need them or the Federation.

4 Klingons

The Original Villains, But Then It Was Join Or Die

Homeworld: Qo'noS
Introduced In: Star Trek: TOS, S1E26, "Errand of Mercy"

Chronologically, Klingons appear much earlier in the timeline than TOS, and were introduced in the first Star Trek: Enterprise episode, "Broken Bow." This would make them the second race that humans came in contact with after the Vulcans, and it's been a tumultuous relationship from the start.

Star Trek: Strongest Species In The Franchise, Ranked

The Star Trek franchise is full of powerful species. However, these examples tend to stand out from the rest in terms of strength.

Posts

By Tom Thandi

Klingon culture is based on an aggressive warrior philosophy, and the actions of the Klingon Empire reflect this. They had a strict code of honor that valued heroic deaths and doled out executions for minor offenses and failures. Even when their own race was facing destruction after the explosion of Praxis, many still insisted on fighting.

3 Cardassians

So Anti-Federation That They're Even Anti-Klingon

Homeworld: Cardassia Prime
Introduced In: Star Trek: The Next Generation, S4E12, "The Wounded"

The Cardassians weren't just some of the Federation's most active and deadly enemies; they were also at war with the Klingons and left a trail of destruction and war crimes during their occupation of Bajor. Their main motivations are conquest, torture, and xenophobia, goals that run completely contrary to everything the Federation stands for.

The saga of the Cardassians and their destructive influence makes up a few story arcs in TNG and DS9, and every time they show up, it's to play the antagonist. Their own society is painfully authoritarian, with the state controlling the population and the family on a micro level and held up as the final word in private life.

2 The Borg

Resistance Is Futile

Homeworld: Unicomplex, The Delta Quadrant
Introduced In: Star Trek: The Next Generation, S3E26, "The Best of Both Worlds"

Few other races are as powerful and terrifying as The Borg, and it's not just about their cutting-edge technology or their total unity as a unique species. Their ability to adapt to a variety of attacks, rendering any assault against them useless, and then using those same weapons against their enemies, is terrifying.

title image longest starship voyages star trek

Star Trek: Starships That Had The Longest Voyages, Ranked

A few starships in the Star Trek universe took part in extensive voyages, including these marathon trips.

Posts 5

By Kristy Ambrose

When the Borg reached Federation space, it seemed like nothing could stop them, and the struggle to resist them was very real. The crew of the Enterprise was sent to investigate, and the Captain, Jean-Luc Picard, was kidnapped by the Borg and turned into one of them in an attempt to make the invasion and conquest of Earth go more smoothly. This backfired, as attempts to rescue Picard revealed some of the Borg's most profound weaknesses.

1 Xyrillians

Peaceful But Reclusive

Homeworld: Xyrillia
Introduced In: Star Trek: Enterprise, S1E5, "Unexpected"

Not every race that doesn't care about joining the Federation is aggressive, authoritarian, or exploitive. The Xyrillians are the inventors of the technology that would eventually evolve into the Holodeck, only their iteration was developed for stealth and efficiency as opposed to weapons or combat abilities.

One reason the Xyrillia don't feel motivated to join the Federation is their level of technology, which is generations ahead of humans when they first come into contact. This race prefers to keep to itself and only comes into contact with humans when they need an engineering consultation.

Image