The Star Trek Villain Showdown

Welcome to the Star Trek “Summer of Sweet Revenge” — Villain Showdown!

We’ve been scouring the universe to find villains worthy of going up against Khan. Each week, fans will vote on who they think is the most fearsome foe, with the winner eventually facing off against our favorite Augment. Who will take the crown? We’ll find out!

Who are these villains we love and love to hate? This week, we’re starting off with a classic villain and a newer foe who are going toe to toe over who deserves the top spot. On one side, we have the Gorn captain from The Original Series episode “Arena,” a fearsome creature who nearly took out Captain Kirk. On the other, we have Badgey, a training hologram with a mind of his own — and that mind is fixed on mayhem when he comes to life, as we see in the Lower Decks episode “Terminal Provocations!”

Voting will take place on Twitter @StarTrek, with each new match up being announced each Tuesday at 9 am PT. Voting will start at 11 am PT the same day, and end at the end of the week at 12 pm PT on Friday. The winner of each round will be officially announced on the following Monday.

Other villains who’ll take the main stage will be:

Gul Dukat — Attention Bajoran workers, Gul Dukat is representing the Cardassian government in this showdown! The manipulative schemer tried to stage quite a few coups and even became the embodiment of evil itself, opposite the Prophets’ emissary Sisko. Watch episodes like Deep Space Nine’s “Civil Defense” and “Waltz” to learn more about him.

The Borg Queen — Long live the Queen! A villain who’s faced off against Picard twice and Janeway once, the Borg Queen is here to assimilate all in her path and ensure the Borg become the dominant species in the universe. Watch Star Trek: First Contact, the Voyager series finale “Endgame,” or Picard’s “Two of One” to learn more about her.

The Diviner — A new villain on the Star Trek block, the Diviner is determined to destroy Starfleet at whatever cost! With the aid of his second in command, Drednok, the Diviner has been chasing the Protostar across the Delta Quadrant before revealing his deepest motive. Watch Prodigy episodes “Terror Firma” and “A Moral Star” for more information.

Captain Lorca — Never trust a Terran! The secretive captain of the U.S.S. Discovery was secretly from the Mirror Universe, and his schemes put the entire universe at risk. Watch Discovery’s “Choose Your Pain” and “What’s Past is Prologue” to learn more about Lorca.

Q — Everyone’s favorite trickster is here! Whether it’s putting all of humanity on trial or changing the timeline to teach Picard a lesson, when Q’s involved, you can be sure he’s up to some scheme. Watch TNG’s “Encounter at Farpoint” or Picard’s “Farewell” to learn more about Q’s journey.

Seska — An undercover Cardassian operative, Seska and her schemes faced off against Janeway! When she joined Voyager after being stranded with the Maquis cell she’d infiltrated, Seska ultimately joined up with the Kazon to betray the ship and crew. Watch Voyager’s “Maneuvers” and “Worst Case Scenario” to see her in action.

Which villain are you rooting for? Do you hope Khan emerges triumphant? Let us know on social, and don’t forget to vote every week to celebrate the Summer of Sweet Revenge!

"A true victory is to make your enemy see they were wrong to oppose you in the first place." — Gul Dukat

To those who voted for Badgey, Q forgives your blasphemy:

It was down to two heavy contenders, and YOU have spoken —