Star Trek’s 15 Finest Time Journey Episodes, Ranked

One of many largest recurring tropes in “Star Trek” is the usage of time journey, one thing that is existed for the reason that earliest days of the franchise. Via the technological developments out there sooner or later, the primary characters have traveled into the previous, future, and alternate realities and timelines in various capacities. The franchise has inventively used this narrative mechanic over time, creating a few of the largest plot twists that we by no means noticed coming. In lots of circumstances a few of the finest “Star Trek” tales of all time closely contain the usage of time journey.

Merely put, we find it irresistible when “Star Trek” bends the foundations of space-time, with its fan-favorite characters touring via the timestream. This may contain extra standard time journey or the characters being caught in temporal loops and anomalies as they discover the cosmos. Whereas we definitely love “Star Trek IV: The Voyage House” and “Star Trek: First Contact,” we’re sticking with the franchise’s time journey tales on tv. 

With that in thoughts, listed here are “Star Trek’s” 15 finest time journey episodes, ranked and prepared for followers to take a look at.

The perfect “Star Trek: Enterprise” episode ever is the third season installment “Twilight,” set on the peak of the Xindi Conflict. Whereas rescuing T’Pol (Jolene Blalock) from a spatial anomaly, Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula) endures a grievous harm and is contaminated by mysterious parasites. These parasites severely inhibit Archer’s long-term recollections, forcing him to be relieved from his command, paving the best way for the Xindi to conquer humanity. However 12 years later, Physician Phlox (John Billingsley) discovers a remedy for Archer’s situation, which can retroactively right the timeline and stop Earth’s defeat from happening.

“Twilight” captures the hazard and darkness that “Enterprise” grew to become identified for in its later seasons, delving into humanity’s precarious early interactions with new worlds and new civilizations. The episode not solely highlights how vital Archer’s well being is to the integrity of the timeline, however presents an ingenious solution to avert historical past from being irrevocably altered. A time-bending story of how the devotion that Archer conjures up from his crew saves the day, “Twilight” is “Enterprise” at its finest.

The collection finale for “Star Trek: Voyager,” the two-parter “Endgame,” revolves fully round the usage of time journey. The episode opens with the surviving members of the USS Voyager celebrating their return to Earth 10 years prior, regardless of struggling grave private losses and a 23-year trek. Decided to vary the destiny of her crew, an older Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) travels again in time with superior expertise to assist her youthful self lead Voyager dwelling sooner. This includes the Voyager touring via a area dominated by the Borg Collective, culminating within the time-traveling Janeway confronting the Borg Queen (Alice Krige).

“Endgame” offers an exhilarating, cinematic ending for “Star Trek: Voyager” and a cheerful ending from the jaws of sure tragedy. The Borg had already established themselves as a significant presence in “Voyager” and have been additionally no strangers to time journey tales. This all coalesces into an epic finale, with Admiral Janeway impressed by her previous crew on one final journey. A becoming finale for “Voyager” and its arduous journey, “Endgame” presents a satisfying story facilitated by a time-traveling Janeway.

“Star Trek: The Subsequent Era” featured loads of memorable episodes coping with temporal shenanigans throughout its seven-season run, together with the sixth season installment “Timescape.” Whereas returning to the Enterprise in a runabout, Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) and a small touchdown occasion discover the starship and a Romulan warbird frozen in time. Creating makeshift units to forestall themselves from being affected by the temporal disruptions, the staff investigates what is going on occurring to the 2 vessels. Greater than only a potential hazard to each ships and their respective crews, Picard and his unaffected associates notice there’s something extra sinister at work.

With its frozen in time visuals and the story’s overarching sense of thriller, “Timescape” is an efficient, problem-solving oriented story. When it comes to time journey mechanics, the timestream across the Enterprise is not simply frozen however advances and resets at numerous factors of the story. This creates some surprises as the story unfolds whereas taking part in with the visible results that assist the episode stand out. A necessary “Subsequent Era” episode that everybody ought to watch, “Timespace” blends sci-fi spectacle with a fascinating thriller of the unknown.

The “Voyager” episode that’s the most time-travel intensive, by way of temporal mechanics, is the fifth season installment “Relativity.” Seven of 9 (Jeri Ryan) is plucked from the timestream by a twenty ninth century Starfleet vessel moments earlier than Voyager is destroyed by a bomb, inflicting a time paradox. Seven is shipped to completely different factors of Voyager’s existence, together with earlier than it was misplaced within the Delta Quadrant as a part of her investigation. Teaming up with Janeway throughout her visits, Seven identifies the perpetrator and stops the ship’s destruction to rectify the timeline.

With a very pronounced time-bending premise, “Relativity” is an episode that asks its viewers’ full consideration to observe alongside. Jeri Ryan and Kate Mulgrew do a fantastic job of taking part in completely different variations of their characters at completely different factors within the timeline, highlighting their rapport. The episode itself performs out like a cosmic homicide thriller, with a shocking perpetrator in its ultimate twist. A strong time journey story that makes nice use of Ryan’s Seven, “Relativity” has enjoyable with its premise, even when its wider implications do not make that a lot sense.

Of the complete “Deep House 9” important solid, Miles O’Brien (Colm Meaney) stood because the crew’s unassuming everyman. The third season episode “Visionary” thrust O’Brien in the course of a time journey journey involving his personal attainable loss of life. Affected by radiation publicity, O’Brien briefly features the flexibility to glimpse 5 hours into the long run at a time. When it turns into clear that the complete area station is in peril, the O’Brien of 1 timeline sacrifices himself to warn his future self about what’s coming.

With steadily mounting stakes throughout every subsequent look into the long run, “Visionary” presents a fantastic showcase for Meaney. O’Brien was at all times one thing of an unsung hero for the collection, no less than till “Decrease Decks” made him a very powerful man in “Star Trek” historical past. “Visionary” is prime proof about why that distinction is well-earned, albeit in a extra understated approach than most explosive “DS9” episodes. An incredible character-centric story for Miles O’Brien, “Visionary” is a largely underrated episode within the collection.

Although maybe higher identified for Kelsey Grammer’s “Star Trek” cameo, the “Subsequent Era” episode “Trigger and Impact” is among the collection’ finest. The Enterprise is caught in a temporal loop with the USS Bozeman, a Starfleet vessel lacking for over 90 years, leading to each ships’ destruction. With time resetting after each destruction, the crew begins to develop a heightened sense of déjà vu whereas Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) detects audio indicators from previous loops. Utilizing his distinctive positronic mind, Information (Brent Spiner) packages a clue into himself in a future loop for the right way to avert the ships from repeating their collision.

With its temporal loop mechanics extra successfully staged than realized, “Trigger and Impact” had TV stations flooded with confused calls from viewers. Kicking off issues with an explosion, the episode definitely captures the viewers’s consideration from soar earlier than progressively constructing out its thriller. That sense of repetition that the crew begins to steadily expertise spreads to the viewers, fueling a basic unease earlier than an answer is found. A solidly crafted looping narrative, “Trigger and Impact” showcases “TNG” firing on all cylinders.

Probably the most memorable tales in “Voyager” was the fourth season two-parter “12 months of Hell.” After taking a shortcut via hostile territory, Voyager is severely broken by a temporal disruption, making them targets of enemies within the area. The episode chronicles the starship persevering with their journey for the next yr, struggling additional damages and heavy casualties alongside the best way. Throughout this grueling trek, the ship encounters a mysterious time-traveling vessel linked to the temporal disruptions.

Early on, “12 months of Hell” was thought-about to final for a complete season of “Star Trek: Voyager” earlier than it was condensed into two episodes. The choice to streamline the story works for the perfect, offering simply sufficient time for the Voyager to endure its disastrous detour earlier than revealing its time-traveling stakes. This additionally helps the conclusion of the story have a powerful payoff, with its pleased ending a aid given the harrowing street to succeed in that time. Simply one of many best “Voyager” episodes, “12 months of Hell” encapsulates the determined tone when the present was at its finest.

“Star Trek: The Animated Collection” is among the most underrated reveals within the franchise or, on the very least, is a forgotten spin-off value revisiting. Among the many highlights from the two-season collection is the episode “Yesteryear,” inserting Spock (Leonard Nimoy) on an journey into his personal historical past. Whereas present process temporal analysis via the Guardian of Ceaselessly, Spock’s place within the timeline is inadvertently threatened. This forces Spock to return to Vulcan throughout his personal childhood to make sure that his future can be restored and preserved.

“Yesteryear” is one in every of the perfect “Star Trek” Spock episodes no matter collection or period for the franchise. The story offers invaluable perception on Spock’s background, together with the unhappier parts of his upbringing on Vulcan. The episode additionally exemplifies what “TAS” was all about, utilizing the chances of animation to ship thought-provoking tales on par with “The Authentic Collection.” If there’s any single episode of “Star Trek: The Animated Collection” to observe, “Yesteryear” stands out because the strongest contender.

The “Voyager” episode “Blink of an Eye” would not take care of standard time journey a lot as revolve its whole story round time dilation. The Voyager turns into trapped within the magnetic subject of a planet enveloped in a tachyon subject that impacts how time passes on its floor. Whereas the crew develops a solution to proceed their journey, time on the planet passes 58 days for each minute on the ship. With the ship seen from the planet’s floor, the indigenous inhabitants tries to contact or destroy the ship to cease its dangerous results to their setting.

“Blink of an Eye” presents a singular tackle “Star Trek” characters inadvertently contaminating native cultures with their presence. The time dilation mechanics present an intriguing instructions for the story, particularly as soon as the Voyager crew realizes the implications of their impression on the planet. The episode additionally comprises a memorable guest-starring look from Daniel Dae Kim as an astronaut from the planet who endures a go to to the Voyager, unpacking the story’s penalties. A strong sci-fi story with an attention-grabbing idea at its core, “Blink of an Eye” weaves a time-bending story as solely “Star Trek” can.

Not all of “Deep House 9” is doom and gloom ensuing from the tense Dominion Conflict storyline dominating its later seasons. Certainly one of the perfect “Deep House 9” episodes veers closely into time-traveling comedy, with the fifth season’s “Trials and Tribble-ations.” A celebration of the franchise’s thirtieth anniversary, the episode has the DS9 crew journey again in time to the occasions of the “TOS” story “The Hassle with Tribbles.” Sisko and his crew stop a time-traveling Arne Darvin (Charlie Brill) from assassinating Captain Kirk and altering historical past.

“Trials and Tribble-ations” lets the “DS9” solid showcase their comedic chops and they don’t disappoint in that regard. The crossover retains all of the comical attraction of its “TOS” supply materials whereas including a contemporary time journey twist to the story. Seeing the characters attempt to match into this traditional period by no means outstays its welcome proper right down to its closing scene. “Trials and Tribble-ations” is a powerful reminder that not each time journey story, or “DS9” episode, must be so self-serious on a regular basis.

One other efficient intra-franchise crossover is “These Previous Scientists,” bringing collectively “Star Trek: Unusual New Worlds” and “Star Trek: Decrease Decks.” Whereas investigating an historic portal, Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) and Beckett Mariner (Tawny Newsome) are by chance transported again to the twenty third century. Picked up by the Enterprise whereas it is captained by Christopher Pike (Anson Mount), Boimler and Mariner are shocked by how the crew seems in comparison with historical past. The 2 characters seek for a solution to return to their very own time whereas making an attempt to not contaminate the timeline and take care of a hostile Orion vessel.

“These Previous Scientists” is a phenomenal and hilarious tribute to “Star Trek” fandom delivered to life by two fan-favorite casts. Quaid and Newsome make the transition to live-action with their animated characters seamlessly, with “Decrease Decks'” model of humor becoming into “Unusual New Worlds.” Furthermore, the time journey story bringing each reveals collectively feels natural to the broader “SNW” story being informed in its second season. A spotlight within the “Star Trek” resurgence on Paramount+, “These Previous Scientists” celebrates the franchise because it charts a brand new future.

Arguably probably the most emotionally devastating episodes from “Deep House 9,” the fourth season episode “The Customer” facilities its deal with father and son. A subspace accident leaves Sisko drifting via time, periodically reuniting along with his son Jake (Cirroc Lofton) for temporary intervals. Jake turns into obsessive about discovering a solution to rescue his father from his ethereal destiny, even at immense value to his private life. This culminates in a stunning sacrifice from an older Jake (Tony Todd) fully fueled by his deep love for his father.

“The Customer” is so highly effective and has related with followers on such a profound stage that the “Deep House 9” episode modified Tony Todd’s life. After watching the episode, it is simple to see why, with its time-bending twist leaving viewers as shattered as Sisko. The entire story solely works if we imagine the lengths Jake will go to avoid wasting his father and each Lofton and Todd ship that high quality in full. An absolute heartbreaker with a singular time-travel hook, “The Customer” stands as the saddest second within the “Star Trek” franchise.

Probably the most enigmatic figures in “The Subsequent Era” is Guinan (Whoopi Goldberg), who will get a significant position within the third season episode “Yesterday’s Enterprise.” The episode opens with the Enterprise-D, the collection’ important starship, encountering the long-lost Enterprise-C in a mysterious time rift. This adjustments the timeline radically, with solely Guinan conscious that actuality has been altered round her on the Enterprise-D. Working with the previously deceased bridge officer Tasha Yar (Denise Crosby), Guinan should persuade the Enterprise-C to return to its personal time and restore historical past.

With rewrites to the script and a good manufacturing schedule, “Yesterday’s Enterprise” was one in every of the collection’ hardest episodes to provide. There’s a lot that is occurring on this episode, from the reappearance of a misplaced starship to the sudden return of Tasha in a darker imaginative and prescient of the twenty fourth century. However the episode balances all these plot traces and parts effectively, whereas presenting among the best time journey tales within the franchise. A time journey episode with penalties resurfacing later within the collection, “Yesterday’s Enterprise” demonstrates “The Subsequent Era” at its absolute best.

Simply as “The Subsequent Era” started with the all-powerful Q (John de Lancie) testing Picard to see whether or not humanity is worthy of existence, its finale continues this trial. In his newest problem to Picard, Q whisks the starship captain to a few completely different factors in his life, together with his first day on the Enterprise and his twilight years. Picard should remedy the thriller tying all three temporal factors collectively in an effort to impress Q. The long run timeline includes Picard having to reunite along with his previous crew, at the same time as they stand divided by circumstances since their time collectively on the Enterprise.

The perfect “Star Trek” collection finale so far, “All Good Issues…” celebrates the present’s historical past whereas peering into its attainable future. The episode successfully recreates the aesthetics from the collection premiere whereas providing attention-grabbing attainable futures for its acquainted characters. In having Q function the engine for the story, the finale presents a phenomenal parallel to the present’s very first episode. An ideal bookend tying collectively Q’s finest moments throughout the franchise, “All Good Issues..” offers “The Subsequent Era” the sendoff it deserves.

“Star Trek” followers in all probability guessed that “The Metropolis on the Fringe of Ceaselessly” was going to prime this listing, and that is for good motive. An episode that towers above the remainder of “The Authentic Collection,” the story clearly establishes the emotional and ethical depths the franchise is able to. The episode has a briefly crazed Physician McCoy (DeForest Kelley) journey again to America within the Thirties and by chance change historical past. Kirk and Spock pursue their time-displaced good friend, with Kirk falling in love with native social employee Edith Keeler (Joan Collins) solely to understand the long run rests in her grim destiny.

Given its vaunted status, it ought to go with out saying, however “The Metropolis on the Fringe of Ceaselessly” is an important “Authentic Collection” episode everybody ought to watch no less than as soon as. In comparison with the campier tales within the collection, the episode delivers a grounded story with real stakes and palpable emotional fallout. William Shatner was hardly ever in finer kind along with his efficiency as a morally conflicted Kirk right here, evident proper right down to its somber ending scene. The story about sacrifices wanted for the higher good, particularly with the space-time continuum at stake, “The Metropolis on the Fringe of Ceaselessly” is “Star Trek” at its absolute best.