25. Professor Moriarty
Portrayed by Daniel Davis
2 appearances: TNG - 'Elementary, Dear Data' (1988), 'Ship In A Bottle' (1993)
Species: Human Hologram
The best TNG villain who also happens to be Sherlock Holmes' greatest foe. First appearing in a season 2 episode as a villain programmed by Geordi to defeat Data in the Holodeck, this show's take on Moriarty allowed him to develop beyond being a simple villain, a character with depth and self-awareness who wanted to experience life outside of a program. His second appearance adds to that, while also proving how dastardly he can be to get what he wants.
24. Rom
Portrayed by Max Grodenchik
36 appearances: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999)
Species: Ferengi
Quark's dopey and always-suffering little brother, Rom started off the show as basically a standard Ferengi but slowly began to develop a personality of his own. One of the most complete arcs in all of DS9, Rom took on the task of trying to bring about change within Ferengi culture, eventually landing himself a pretty great position to make these changes. Though he easily could have come across as preachy, this never was the case. He was a sweetheart.
23. Kruge
Portrayed by Christopher Lloyd
1 appearance: Star Trek III: The Search For Spock (1984)
Species: Klingon
A renegade Klingon captain out to find the Genesis device, a terraforming machine with world-levelling power. I'm down with pretty much any role played by Christopher Lloyd, and while he might not have as much closeness to the plot as Chang from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Lloyd is what really sells this character and makes him stand out above most other Trek movie villains. He even kills off Kirk's son, making him especially easy to hate.
22. Lal
Portrayed by Hallie Todd
1 appearance: TNG - 'The Offspring' (1990)
Species: Android
In one of the most emotional episodes of TNG, Data creates an offspring, an android female who he could father and impart his wisdom onto. A very awkward (looking and behaving) character who couldn't have worked much beyond this single episode premise, but left a huge impact for the time she was here. The ending of this episode breaks your heart, and seeing he develop so much over this short period of time was wonderful.
21. Lon Suder
Portrayed by Brad Dourif
3 appearances: VOY - 'Meld' (1993), 'Basics, pt. I + II' (1993)
Species: Betazoid
One of the biggest problems I wound up having with Voyager as a series (apart from it just kinda sucking in general and ruining the Borg) was in how rarely it implemented supporting characters like this. A Betazoid serial killer among the crew, Suder only ever showed up a couple times, but when he did it was always great. Dourif is a terrific actor and this is the perfect Trek role for him. A very intense and underutilized character.
20. Morn
Portrayed by Mark Allen Shepherd
93 appearances: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999)
Species: Lurian
Deep Space Nine had a wealth of characters coming and going throughout its 7 seasons, but Morn was always there. And in spite of his consistent presence at Quark's place, he never got a word in the entire series. Morn is essentially a giant running joke, a character known for being incredibly talkative, and having all sorts of stories and an intricate past that are only ever referenced and never seen. His reactions (and lack thereof) are always priceless.
19. Ro Laren
Portrayed by Michelle Forbes
8 appearances: The Next Generation (1991-1994)
Species: Bajoran
As far as I'm aware, Ro Laren was the first Bajoran to appear on Star Trek, a character who set the tone for the entire species and was even originally intended to be a main character on Deep Space Nine (instead of Kira Nerys). She's abrasive, blunt, and really doesn't take any crap from anyone. Though Kira definitely felt like a more developed version of this same character, I still really enjoyed Ro, and her appearances on TNG added a lot.
18. Aamin Marritza
Portrayed by Harris Yulin
1 appearance: DS9 - 'Duet' (1993)
Species: Cardassian
Easily the highlight of the shaky first season of DS9, 'Duet' works due to the interplay between Kira Nerys and this guy, a Cardassian with a mysterious past. Was he a mass murderer from a Bajoran labor camp, or was he simply a file clerk? The episode spends most of its time trying to get to the core of that, and the result is one of the best episodes of the show and one of the most compelling one-off characters in the entire franchise.
17. Gowron
Portrayed by Robert O'Reilly
11 appearances: TNG/DS9 (1989-1999)
Species: Klingon
For a Klingon, Gowron was a uniquely slimy and Romulan-esque character who seemed far more interested in hoisting himself up than he was with honor and other more traditional Klingon goals. Though he doesn't show up very frequently, he's an often referenced character who took over the Klingon empire by being smarter than the rest. His relationship with Worf adds a lot to his character, an almost-friendship that really helps define Gowron's priorities.
16. Nog
Portrayed by Aron Eisenberg
47 appearances: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999)
Species: Ferengi
My personal favorite Ferengi in all of Star Trek, Nog definitely started off as a fairly throwaway character I thought only existed to give Jake Sisko someone to hang out with. But after a few seasons once he joins Starfleet, he really starts to come into his own and gain a lot of maturity and depth. Even more than Rom, Nog goes through amazing changes as a character and the way he transforms over the series is just another great arc for the show.
15. Soval
Portrayed by Gary Graham
12 appearances: Enterprise (2001-2005)
Species: Vulcan
One of the things about Enterprise that seemed to bother people was in how emotional and assholish the Vulcans were. To me, it was believable, showing the species as less evolved than they often claim to be. Well, Soval is one of the best examples of this, an antagonistic but wholly good Vulcan who looks down on humans even though he is just as flawed as them. He's arrogant, but willing to admit if he was wrong. A well-developed character with a satisfying arc.
14. Michael Eddington
Portrayed by Kenneth Marshall
9 appearances: Deep Space Nine (1994-1997)
Species: Human
A character who can't be fully spoken about without having there be huge spoilers, Eddington starts off as a security substitute for Odo during season 3, and eventually reveals himself to be much more than that. His time in the show is largely spent in the background but when he takes overan episode he dominates the screen. A very satisfying and multi-layered character with one of the more surprising backgrounds in the show.
13. Damar
Portrayed by Casey Biggs
23 appearances: Deep Space Nine (1996-1999)
Species: Cardassian
One of the biggest surprises in Deep Space Nine was in how it transformed Dukat's alcoholic sidekick into a badass revolutionary. Though it takes until the last season for him to fully develop, Damar becomes one of the strongest characters in a season that I had a lot of problems with. To go into much more detail with this would be a huge disservice to people who haven't seen the show yet, but take it from me that he is one of the highlights of the final season.
12. Mirror Spock
Portrayed by Leonard Nimoy
1 appearance: TOS - 'Mirror, Mirror' (1967)
Species: Half-Vulcan/Half-Human
The highlights in one of the greatest episodes in science fiction television history, Mirror Spock is the character that made the evil, mirror universe, goatee-sporting villain into a trope. He's very similar to normal Spock, a logical character who can be persuaded into listening to reason, but also has the tendency to violently and brutally torture his inferiors whenever they step out of line. A great one-off character that I'm still surprised hasn't made a film appearance.
11. Weyoun
Portrayed by Jeffrey Combs
24 appearances: Deep Space Nine (1996-1999)
Species: Vorta
One of the best characters played by Trek wildcard actor Jeffrey Combs, Weyoun is a character so good, the showrunners actually built the rules of his species around him. A highly intelligent, plotting, strategic genius, Weyoun (in any incarnation) was a character who was so slippery and charmingly diplomatic, you never quite knew when he could be trusted. No matter what he said or did, he was a character that was hard to look away from.
10. Garth of Izar
Portrayed by Steve Ihnat
1 appearance: TOS - 'Whom Gods Destroy' (1969)
Species: Human
If I were to name my favorite villains from the original series (without counting the movies), this guy would be my #1. Possibly the most over-the-top character in the entire show, Garth was a crazed ex-Starfleet legend with a huge ego and godlike aspirations. Virtually every line he delivers is hilarious, a very goofy but threatening villain with the ability to change shapes. All the campy goodness of the original series can be found within this single character.
9. Annorax
Portrayed by Kurtwood Smith
2 appearances: VOY - 'Year Of Hell, pt. I + II' (1997)
Species: Krenim
Though I wish this guy had a chance to develop a little more over the course of a full season as was originally planned, Annorax still stands out as one of the very best villains Trek has to offer. A despicable but emotionally grounded and believable sort of villain, Annorax and his crew spent years on their ship attempting to restore a timeline they destroyed that cost his loved ones their lives. Powerful, well-developed, and a great performance by Smith.
8. Gul Madred
Portrayed by David Warner
2 appearances: TNG - 'Chain Of Command, pt. I + II' (1992)
Species: Cardassian
David Warner is one of those actors who never seems to get enough credit, and that doesn't end here, a villain with more depth and sinister tendencies than pretty much any other in all of Trek history. Watching Madred gleefully interrogate a captured Picard is difficult, but Madred's own personal issues slowly revealed themselves as he begins to torture just to try to completely break his spirit. A dark villain with a great backstory.
7. Martok
Portrayed by J.G. Hertzler
25 appearances: Deep Space Nine (1995-1999)
Species: Klingon
Probably the Klingoniest of all Klingons, Martok was one of the many great supporting characters introduced mid-series Deep Space Nine. A battle-hardened warrior with very honorable tendencies, Martok never backed down from a fight or complained by the hand he was dealt. He was tortured, thrown into hopeless situations, and always seemed to come out even stronger than he was before. He didn't change much as the show went along, but he never really needed to.
6. Q
Portrayed by John de Lancie
12 appearances: TNG/DS9/VOY (1987-2001)
Species: Q
For the most part omnipotent superbeings in Star Trek are inherently dull, and often they don't have much personality. Well, Q is a big exception, as his personality is so overwhelming he dominates every episode he appears in. Though I wasn't a fan of his from the beginning, his contribution to TNG in particular was massive, apart from his limited number of appearances. A bored, all-powerful godlike being with a whole universe to play around with.
5. Khan Noonien Singh
Portrayed by Ricardo Montalban
2 appearances: TOS - 'Space Seed' (1967), Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan (1982)
Species: Human Augment
My introduction to Star Trek began with The Wrath Of Khan, so naturally I'm a little biased here, but this character is the one that I can't help but to judge every other Trek villain against. And that's what happens every time they make a new movie, too, sadly. Montalban is great, super charming and threatening, a villain whose arrogant intelligence is his only weakness. Kirk's greatest nemesis, Trek's most iconic villain, and the man who killed Spock.
4. Sarek
Portrayed by Mark Lenard
6 appearances: TOS/TNG (1967-1991), TOS films (1984-1991)
Species: Vulcan
NOT COUNTING THE REBOOT SERIES. Spock's dad, Ambassador, and the ultimate example of Vulcan unemotional perfection. Though he only ever appeared in a few episodes and movies, Sarek still stands out as one of my all-time favorite Trek characters, and a brilliant exposition tool for Spock. Their relationship is incredibly layered, tragic, and adds a lot to both of their characters. His self-titled TNG episode is one of my favorites in the show, giving him a great chance to reveal his deepest emotions.
3. Gul Dukat
Portrayed by Marc Alaimo
35 appearances: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999)
Species: Cardassian
My favorite Trek villain of them all, Dukat is the perfect blend of emotionally-driven, believable, and downright maliciousness -- at least, up until they tried to totally ruin the character during the last season. But up until the late season 6 changes they made to him, he was an excellent character with tons of depth, sometimes even working with the good guys whenever it best suited him. Unpredictable, layered, and totally magnetic.
2. Thy'lek Shran
Portrayed by Jeffrey Combs
10 appearances: Enterprise (2001-2005)
Species: Andorian
Andorians are one of the least-explored popular species' of the entire franchise, but luckily Enterprise chose to focus a little more on them, and Shran was the perfect catalyst for that. A begrudgingly ally to Captain Archer, Shran never let his inherent bigotry blind him from what needed to be done. With a strong moral code and a whole heap of suspicion and aggression, Shran never got enough screentime for me to be totally satisfied. He left me wanting more.
1. Elim Garak
Portrayed by Andrew Robinson
37 appearances: Deep Space Nine (1993-1999)
Species: Cardassian
Who else could be #1? Plain and simple Garak is one of the most mysterious, layered and truly fascinating characters in all of Star Trek, a possible Cardassian spy/tailor with connections to the criminal underbelly and a very checkered (and enigmatic) past. He lies just because he can, and while he often works for the good guys, he performs his tasks in very seedy and unconventional ways. He's about as far from Starfleet material as they could have as an ally.
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