The Ultimate Star Trek Trivia Quiz

By: Ian Fortey
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
The Ultimate Star Trek Trivia Quiz
Image: NBC

About This Quiz

Over 50 years after it first showed up on the scene and "Star Trek" is bigger than it ever was. With a series of movies, novels, comics, animation, video games, and of course the TV shows there's no end of Trek to get involved in if you're so inclined. It's one of the biggest pop culture phenomenons in history and helped usher in the age of super fandom that is so pervasive today. Trekkies were the "geeks" of old who took their fandom too seriously for more straight-laced people. Their dedication paved the way for Star Wars fans, for Harry Potter fans, for comic book fans, and Bronies, and every other hardcore group of fans who s just super into what they love.

Part of being a super-fan means knowing more than any regular fan could ever hope to know. Those random, little facts that relate to things a lot of people overlook or don't even consider paying attention to. That's the kind of fan you need to be if you have a hope of mastering the ultimate "Star Trek" trivia quiz. But if you're a dedicated Trek fan, if you know your Kazon from your Andorians and your chronoton particles from your dilithium crystals, set phasers to stun and take the quiz!

Khan
Paramount Pictures
What famous character was named after a pilot Gene Roddenberry had met during WWII?
Picard
Sulu
Spock
Khan
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Khan Noonien Singh is arguably the most famous villain in Trek history. His namesake was a man named Kim Noonien Singh that was a pilot who served with Roddenberry in the Second World War. Roddenberry hoped that his old friend would hear the name on the show and the two would be able to reconnect.

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Ferengi
Paramount Domestic Television / CBS Television Distribution
Which Next Generation species was meant to be introduced as a replacement for Klingons as a major enemy?
Cardassians
Ferengi
Borg
Binars
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Ferengi were introduced early in the series run of "The Next Generation" with the intention of having them serve as major villains. Unfortunately, audiences thought the species was too goofy, and they sort of became comedy relief characters.

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James Doohan
NBC
Which Trek actor was shot six times on D-Day?
Leonard Nimoy
James Doohan
DeForest Kelly
Walter Koenig
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

James "Scotty" Doohan was one of the soldiers at Juno Beach on D-Day. He was shot once in the chest, four times in the legs and a sixth bullet went through the middle finger of his right hand.

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Mark Lenard
NBC
Trek famously reuses actors in may alien roles. Who was the first to play a Vulcan, a Romulan and a Klingon?
Robert O'Reilly
JG Hertzler
Barry Bostwick
Mark Lenard
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Mark Lenard was the first actor to play the Trek alien trinity. His most famous role was as Spock's father Sarek, but he also played a Romulan in one episode and a Klingon in "The Motion Picture."

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Spot
Paramount Domestic Television / CBS Television Distribution
Data had a cat. What was its name?
Spot
Cat
Whiskers
Porthos
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Data's cat Spot endured quite a bit aboard the Starship Enterprise, including somehow getting pregnant in space thanks to the dozen male cats that also lived about Enterprise. Spot managed actually to outlive Data.

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Worf
Paramount Pictures
Which character has appeared in more episodes than any other in all of Trek history?
Picard
Spock
Data
Worf
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Lieutenant Worf has appeared in more episodes of any Trek franchise than any other character thanks to the fact he was added to the cast of "Deep Space Nine" for several seasons after his run on "The Next Generation" ended.

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Captain Pike
NBC
"The Original Series" gave us Captain Kirk and crew boldly going where no one had gone before. Who was Captain in the pilot episode?
Captain Archer
Captain Dekker
Captain Pike
Captain Sulu
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Christopher Pike was the captain of the Enterprise in the pilot episode of "Star Trek" entitled "The Cage." The episode was remade later as part of the regular series, and Pike was brought back as a character in a wheelchair. He also returned on "Star Trek: Discovery" to be captain of the Discovery.

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Lucille Ball
NBC
NBC rejected the pilot for "Star Trek." What famous comedian got them to take another look?
Dean Martin
Lucille Ball
Jerry Lewis
Bob Hope
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Lucille Ball was the head of Desilu studios in the early 1960s and was looking for a new show to get behind. She financed the Trek pilot thinking it was a show about traveling USO performers and then when the pilot bombed, she footed the bill for a second one, which worked out.

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Transporters
NBC
What piece of sci-fi technology was actually really helpful to the budget of the original series?
Transporters
Tricorders
Tractor beams
Phasers
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Transporters aren't just a very cool idea; they were a practical tool for the production staff. The budget would have been strained if they had to keep using effects shots of shuttles landing on alien planets, but the transporter made moving around much easier.

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Bat'leth
EC Henry via YouTube
This Trek-inspired weapon was used in some Colorado robberies. Do you know what it was?
Tricobalt grenade
Phaser
Bat'leth
Daqtagh
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Klingon bat'leth has appeared in around 30 episodes of Trek series and movies. Real-life replicas have been classified as weapons and have, in fact, been used to commit several crimes in the past.

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Vulcans
UPN
Which major Trek species was the first to develop warp capabilities?
Klingons
Vulcans
Borg
Andorians
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Vulcans were the first major warp-capable species in the Trek universe having mastered the technology in what, by human time, would have been the 9th century BC. Humans didn't develop it until the 21st century AD.

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Tiberius
NBC
Everyone knows the name James T. Kirk. What's that "T" stand for?
Tiberius
Taylor
Trent
Theodore
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

James Tiberius Kirk was presumably named in honor of the second Roman emperor who took over after Augustus. The 2009 movie states that Tiberius came from Kirk's paternal grandfather but, you know, he probably got it from the emperor.

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Nausicaan
Paramount Domestic Television / CBS Television Distribution
Captain Picard has an artificial heart because a member of what species stabbed him?
Klingon
Nausicaan
Cardassian
Romulan
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

According to the "Next Generation" episode "Tapestry," in the year 2327, Jean-Luc Picard got into a bar fight with a Nausicaan who ended up stabbing him in the chest, resulting in the artificial heart.

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Excelsior
Paramount Pictures
Hikaru Sulu is eventually promoted to captain. What ship does he command?
Excelsior
Yamamoto
Trident
Defiant
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Sometimes between the events of "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" and "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country," Sulu becomes the captain of the USS Excelsior. The ship was supposed to have a transwarp drive that could reach speeds of warp 14.

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Porthos
UPN
Captain Jonathan Archer headed out into space with a dog. What was its name?
Porthos
Bailey
Polo
Red
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Captain Archer's dog was named Porthos after one of the Three Musketeers. He was a beagle who apparently had a real penchant for cheese even though it wasn't necessarily good for him.

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Geneviève Bujold
UPN
Who played Captain Janeway for two days before quitting?
Geneviève Bujold
Suzanne Somers
Teri Garr
Jessica Lange
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Geneviève Bujold was cast in 1994 as Captain Nicole Janeway. The character named was changed to Kathryn after Bujold quit within two days citing the demanding production schedule as the reason.

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Majel Barrett
NBC
Who played Captain Pike's first officer in "The Cage?"
Johnathan Frakes
Nichelle Nichols
Leonard Nimoy
Majel Barrett
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Majel Barrett played "Number One" in "The Cage," essentially filling the same role Spock would later fill for Kirk. Barrett would go on to play many characters over the years on Trek, including the voice of the computer and the mother of Deanna Troi (not to mention marrying series creator Gene Roddenberry.)

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Tinnitus
NBC
What medical condition did William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy both suffer as a result of standing too close to a special effect explosion?
Temporary blindness
Second-degree burns
Tinnitus
Edema
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Nimoy and Shatner both suffered ear damage in the form of tinnitus when a special effects explosion went off too close to them. Shatner actually became a spokesperson for tinnitus and has helped others deal with the issue for years.

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Lt. Leslie
NBC
Name the red-shirt from "The Original Series" who actually appears in more episodes than Chekov or Sulu.
Nurse Chapel
Ensign Crusher
Lt. Leslie
Lt. Barclay
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Actor Eddie Paskey played Lieutenant Leslie. He managed to appear in 57 episodes of the original series and was named Conner in one and just called "crewman" in another. He was a security officer, a helmsman and an engineer. He even died in an episode but was back in the next episode with no explanation.

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The X-Men
Marvel Entertainment Group / The Donners' Company / Bad Hat Harry Productions
Which famous team of Marvel superheroes met the crew of the Enterprise in a comic book?
The Avengers
The Fantastic Four
The Defenders
The X-Men
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Back in 1996, the X-Men and the crew of the USS Enterprise met in the appropriately named "Star Trek/X-Men" crossover. The X-Men travel through a dimensional rift in pursuit of the villain Proteus and fight him with the help of the Enterprise. There was also a sequel in which the X-Men meet the crew of Picard's Enterprise.

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$48,000
Paramount Domestic Television / CBS Television Distribution
Captain Picard played a flute in an episode of "The Next Generation" that went up for auction in 2006. How much money did it go for?
$300
$3,000
$17,000
$48,000
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Picard's Ressikan flute went up for auction with some other prop at Christie's and was expected to fetch about $300. The flute, which was a prop and not even playable, ended up selling for $48,000.

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The Terran Empire
NBC
The Federation doesn't exist in the Mirror Universe. What does exist there?
The Romulan Empire
The Alpha Quadrant Alliance
The Syndicate
The Terran Empire
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Terran Alliance is the Mirror Universe equivalent of the United Federation of Planets. They represent the opposition to Federation ideals and are rather xenophobic and war-like. They also seem to love goatees.

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4
CBS Television Distribution
Jeri Ryan is well-known for her role as the Borg Seven of Nine. She initially didn't want the role, however. How many times did she turn producers down?
Two
Four
Six
11
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Jeri Ryan was not into the character Seven of Nine at first and rejected the role four separate times. It was only after repeated attempts by producer Jeri Taylor to get her on board did she finally relent.

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Orion
UPN
Vulcans have green blood but what race has green skin?
Andorian
Orion
Tellarite
Bajoran
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Orion race featured fairly prominently in "The Original Series" as well as "Enterprise" but didn't show up very much in any of the other series or films. The JJ Abrams reboot movies did include a female Orion character as a bit of a nod to Captain Kirk's playboy past.

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Jeri Ryan
Paramount Domestic Television / CBS Television Distribution
Which Trek actor passed out after their ill-fitting costume cut off blood supply through their carotid artery?
Brent Spiner
Jeffrey Combs
Jolene Blalock
Jeri Ryan
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Jeri Ryan passed out not once but twice because her costume was fitted incorrectly. When she passed out the second time and had to have a nurse give her oxygen, producers finally decided to fix the problem.

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Constitution
Wiki Commons by Armstrong Flight Research Center / NASA
Thanks to Trek fans, NASA named a space shuttle "Enterprise." What was it going to be called before?
Constitution
Ardent
Reliance
Endeavor
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

NASA was going to commission their shuttle the "Constitution" until a massive letter-writing campaign from Trek fans convinced them to slap the name "Enterprise" on it.

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Patrick Stewart
Paramount Domestic Television / CBS Television Distribution
Which TNG actor was so convinced the show would fail they never bothered to unpack their bags for over a month?
Brent Spiner
Levar Burton
Patrick Stewart
Marina Sirtis
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Patrick Stewart never expected "the Next Generation" to last very long. He planned to film a few months of episodes and then head back to England and do some more stage work. He apparently didn't unpack his bags for six weeks.

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No one knows
NBC
Who played Lieutenant Bobby on "The Original Series?"
Walter Matthau
No one knows.
Jack Lemon
Kevin Riley
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You may not remember Lieutenant Bobby who appeared in 12 episodes of the original series, but you're in good company — no one else remembers him either. The name of the actor who played him has been lost to time.

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Eddie Murphy
Paramount Pictures
Which comedian had a role written for them in "Star Trek IV" that they ultimately turned down?
Robin Williams
Tim Allen
Eddie Murphy
John Candy
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Eddie Murphy wanted a role in "Star Trek IV" and producers had a role prepared for him. After reading the part, Murphy was not impressed and turned it down. He filmed the movie "The Golden Child" instead.

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Chiropractor
Paramount Domestic Television / CBS Television Distribution
What kind of doctor saved cast members of "The Next Generation" from all wearing one-piece jumpsuits?
Chiropractor
Dermatologist
Kinesiologist
Cardiologist
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The original uniforms on "The Next Generation" were one-piece jumpsuits designed to be a size too small so they'd be extremely form-fitting on the actors. Word is no one enjoyed wearing them, but it was Patrick Stewart's chiropractor who suggested that wearing them continually would lead to permanent injuries, so they switched to two-piece uniforms.

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Shades of Grey
Paramount Domestic Television / CBS Television Distribution
Which infamous episode of "The Next Generation" is considered the series' worst?
"Shades of Grey"
"Evolution"
"Samaritan Snare"
"Q Who"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Shades of Grey" was the result of a budget issue with Paramount forcing producers to stick to their season budget after already overspending on several episodes. The result was a clip show that used scenes from previous episodes and took three days to film. It is the lowest-ranked episode of all Trek episodes.

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James Doohan2
Paramount Pictures
Even though Klingon is a real language you can speak now, what Trek actor help create it?
Leonard Nimoy
Nichelle Nichols
George Takei
James Doohan
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In "The Original Series," all the Klingons speak English. Klingon isn't heard until "the Motion Picture," and actor James Doohan helped develop it before a linguistics expert actually developed it into a real, speakable language.

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Discovery
CBS / CBS All Access
On which "Star Trek" series did Majel Barrett not appear in some fashion?
"The Animated Series"
"Voyager"
"Discovery"
She's been part of every series.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Majel Barrett-Roddenberry was part of nearly every single Trek series. She appeared as Nurse Chapel in "TOS," M'Ress in "The Animated Series," Lwaxana Troi on "TNG" and "DS9," the computer voice on "TNG," "DS9," "Voyager," and "Enterprise." However, Barrett passed away in 2008, and her voice is not featured on "Discovery."

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Livingston
Paramount Domestic Television / CBS Television Distribution
Captain Picard kept a lionfish in his ready room. Do you remember its name?
Wordsworth
Artemis
Livingston
Quatermain
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Livingston, the lionfish, was a part of the background of Picard's ready room for pretty much the entire duration of the show. When Edward Jellico took command of the Enterprise, he ordered Livingston removed.

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DeForest Kelly
NBC
Who stopped talking to William Shatner for years because Shatner laughed when he heard this person's dog died?
DeForest Kelly
Leonard Nimoy
Majel Barrett
Walter Koenig
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dr. McCoy DeForets Kelly had no contact with William Shatner for two years. According to Shatner, Kelly told him that his pet chihuahua Emily ran into a sprinkler head and died. The story made Shatner laugh and that ruined their friendship for two years.

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8
Paramount Domestic Television / CBS Television Distribution
How many different characters has actor Jeffrey Combs played in the "Star Trek" universe?
Four
Six
Eight
10
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Jeffrey Combs has played eight different characters in Trek history. He auditioned for the role of Riker but has appeared on "DS9" as Tiron, Brunt, Weyoun, Kevin Mulkahey, and a nameless holosuite character. He would later appear on "Voyager" as Penk and then on "Enterprise" as Krem and the Andorian Shran.

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Galaxy Quest
DreamWorks Pictures / Gran Via Productions
According to results from the 2013 Star Trek Convention, what was the 7th best "Star Trek " film ever?
"Insurrection"
"First Contact"
"Galaxy Quest"
"Into Darkness"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Galaxy Quest" was voted the 7th best Trek film, which is pretty ironic because "Galaxy Quest" is not a Trek film at all. The comedy movie starred Tim Allen and Sigourney Weaver, and was a satire of sci-fi shows, in particular, "Star Trek," but it's very popular with fans.

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Kim Cattrall
NBC
Who posed for photos on the set of the Enterprise wearing nothing but Vulcan ears?
Jolene Blalock
Leonard Nimoy
Kim Cattrall
Jeri Ryan
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Kim Cattrall played Valeris in "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country." A photographer shot a roll of film of her on set wearing nothing but her Vulcan ears. Leonard Nimoy was not amused and had the entire roll of the film destroyed.

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Jesus
Paramount Pictures
In an early draft of "Star Trek: The Motion Picture," who was Kirk going to fight on the bridge of the Enterprise?
Abe Lincoln
Jesus
Spock
His father
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Believe it or not, but in an early draft of the script, Captain Kirk was scripted to fight an alien that had taken on the appearance of Jesus. It was set to be a full-on fistfight with Kirk beating up the Messiah. You can guess why they axed that idea.

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The Wrath of Khan
Paramount Pictures
Which Trek movie featured the first entirely CG sequence in film history?
"The Motion Picture"
"The Wrath of Khan"
"The Search for Spock"
"The Final Frontier"
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

"Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" featured the first-ever CG sequence in films. It's the scene in the movie during which the Genesis Device is deployed and is shown destroying and then terraforming an entire planet.

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NBC