
THE Star Trek Franchise is one of the most popular science fiction franchises since Star Trek: the original series (1966-1969) broadcast in the mid-1960s. Since then, the franchise appreciated many television series, films and a plethora of extensive media for fans. Star Trek is known for its plots focused on the characters that see the crew of various vessels that explore space sections.
The franchise has explored many essential science fiction tropes, from space trip to time travel and even time curls. There are also many advanced technologies, artificial intelligence and extraterrestrial species. Some of the most notable extraterrestrial species in Star Trek Include Vulcans, Klingons and Borg, to name only a few, but there are too many to count. One of the most annoying extraterrestrial species is an antagonistic group called Tholiens, but surprisingly, these neglected creatures only make a few appearances.
Tholiens are a non -humanoid crystalline species
The species comes from Tholia in the alpha quadrant of the Tholia system
Star Trek has included a wide variety of humanoid foreigners, such as vulcans and non -humanoid extraterrestrials, but Tholiens are certainly among the most unique and frightening. Tholians mainly resemble giant insects with a hard mineral shell and six thin legs that look like spider legs. Each leg has a small foot at several feet that looks like pliers. The Tholiens also have two arms, each with a elbow, a wrist and a hand with several fingers. They also communicate with chirping and clicks, much like what humans could associate with insects.
Perhaps the most annoying part of the design of the Tholiens is the semi-transparent membrane which encompasses the area at the top of the torso which seems to show a neck and the riots of a head. Tholiens also have two brilliant sensory organs that look like eyes under the membrane, which makes an uncomfortable view when it interacts with one. The semi-transparent membrane gives the tholians an obsessive and almost ghostly appearance that gives them an intimidating air.
Tholians also need extremely high temperatures to survive. They thrive at around 480 Kelvin (207 ° C, 404 ° F). Tholians can survive lower temperatures for brief periods, but it is dangerous. If a tholian finds himself at temperatures of 380 Kelvin or less, he may damage their shell. Basse temperatures can cause cracking and fracture of the shell, which is an extremely painful experience for Tholien. With a sufficiently low temperature, the Tholians could theoretically freeze completely, which could cause a breeze of their shell.
“”Tholiens have fairly extreme survival requirements.“”
– Phlox, “in a mirror, dark”
Tholians naturally produce radiation, which they are able to control and regulate. They can use this radiation to communicate over long distances, such as sending a distress signal, a bit like a radio transmitter. According to Star Trek: Enterprise (2001-2005), Tholiens also have male and female sexual organs, suggesting that all Tholians are able to play a role in the breeding process.
We don’t know much about Tholian culture
But what we know, the Tholians are strict and territorial
Since the Tholians appear only in a few episodes of cannon, fans do not know much about this mysterious extraterrestrial species. What we know about them suggest that these are very punctual creatures. Punctuality, honesty and being are extremely important values for them, both in their personal relationships and in their policy. Ignoring these values is a blatant sign of lack of respect and lack of care for things that are important to them.
“Be correct; we do not tolerate deception.”
– Loskene, “Le Web Thlian”
Tholiens are led by the Tholian Assembly. The United Federation of Planets has often interpreted their behavior as aggressive and violent. The Tholiens are very territorial, because the Tholienne Assembly will kill anyone taken in the Tholian space without authorization. This trait proves how dangerous and hostile they are. They will kill without worrying about who is their target or why they travel in Tholian space. Something as simple as a spaceship is lost could be enough to lower their hostility. The Tholienne Assembly is also deliberately isolate themselves and their territory by expanding their control to neighboring regions.
THE Challenge Incident, explained
The Tholians and the United Federation of the planets have had some conflicts over the years, but the most important and the most scary incident is known as the name of Challenge Incident. In 2155 of the Mirror universe, the Tholiens sent an warhead in the gravity well of a dead star. When the warhead exploded, an interphasic rift is nonty inside the star. This opened a flaw with a parallel universe, but the Tholians were not willing to explore it themselves, reasoning that it was too dangerous. Instead, they placed a distress beacon inside the fault, hoping that a without distrust ship of the parallel universe would respond.
All this plan proves how intelligent and cunning the tholians are. Not only were they able to create a door to a parallel universe, but they registered that it was unstable and too dangerous to travel through themselves. This led them to develop a plan to attract another ship in place of the rift, thus testing stability without endangering themselves. During the year 2268 of the main universe, the USS Challenge sought after the distress signal. On the side of the main universe of the Rift, the area had been annexed by the main Tholiens, which means that the USS Challenge Erré in the Tholian space to answer the false call for help.
Three weeks after the USS Challenge Disappeared in the Tholian space, the USS Business arrived to find the Challenge. The captain of BusinessJames T. Kirk, organized an landing party. While being separated from the crew from BusinessKirk finally crossed the rift and entered the mirror universe. Commander Tholien Loskene agreed to give the Business A small window of time to save the captain. When the first USS spock officer Business And the rest of the crew did not save Kirk within the time awarded, Commander Loskene ordered his people to open fire on the Business. Tholiens even tried to trap the Business Inside their canvas, but the ship saved Kirk and escape over time.
THE Challenge The incident puts a lot from what we know about the Tholiens in motion. They are aware of the mirror universe and have actively opened a flaw between the two dimensions. They are extremely intelligent, cunning and will go great efforts to achieve their objectives, in particular by annexing a lot of space surrounding the Tholian space to isolate themselves more. The second the Business did not save Kirk in the deadline that the Tholiens gave them, they immediately became hostile without regard for life on board.
Despite how dangerous the tholians are, fans have only seen them a few times
Once in the original series and twice in business
Tholiens have a lot for them who make them some of the most disturbing foreigners of all Star Trek. From their brilliant and horrible appearance in the form of a bug to their hostility, they prove from the first moment when the federation enters the Tholian space with which they should not be spoiled. The very first time that the Tholians have been introduced into Star Trek: the original seriesSeason 3, episode 9, “The Tholian Web”, they almost manage to capture the USS Business After the mirror universe, Tholiens deceived the USS Challenge To explore an unstable ditch between two parallel universes. Tholiens have imposed themselves as a scary and competent villain who could hold the attention of the public, but surprisingly, they only appeared in four episodes in total.
The original idea of “future tinge” involved the USS ChallengeBut he was finally rebuilt. Mike Sussman, one of the writers who worked on “Future Tense”, finally wrote “in a mirror, dark” and “in a mirror, dark, part II”, which referred to the Challenge Incident of Star Trek: Tos. It created a very beautiful continuity between the two series, but it is always shocking that the Tholians only make appearances Star Trek series, and the two were relatively minimal. Tholiens have been referenced in other Star Trek series, as The next generation,, New deep spaceAnd NemesisBut they never made complete appearances.

- Created by
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Roddenberry gene
- First movie
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Star Trek: the film
- Movie
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Star Trek: Nemesis
- Casting
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William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Deforest Kelley, James Doohan, Nichelle Nichols, Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Avery Brooks, Kate Mulgrew, Scott Bakula