Since its inception in 1966, Star Trek has looked to the works of William Shakespeare for inspiration, and many episodes have titles borrowed from his works. Following the adventures of Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and his crew aboard the USS Enterprise, Star Trek: The Original Series has the most episodes titled after Shakespeare's works. Throughout the many other Star Trek properties, characters often quote Shakespeare, perform his plays, or otherwise reference the works of the Bard.
Many storylines, as well as episode titles, across the Star Trek shows and movies have been adapted from the works of Shakespeare. As one of the world's most popular and enduring writers, it makes sense that modern minds continue to be inspired by his plays and poems. Little did Shakespeare know that over 400 years after his death, his words would become so closely associated with one of the most popular science fiction franchises of all time. Here are 12 Star Trek episodes with titles taken from Shakespeare's works.
12 Star Trek: The Original Series - "Dagger of the Mind"
As Macbeth plots to kill the King of Scotland in Macbeth, he envisions a dagger before him, musing: "Art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation?" Though this Star Trek: The Original Series episode does not feature any imaginary daggers, it does feature a machine that stabs into the mind of patients. When Kirk and his crew visit a Federation penal colony to drop off supplies, they discover that the lead psychiatrist of the facility has been using a machine known as a "neural neutralizer" to subdue and experiment on his patients. Like Macbeth, this episode investigates mental anguish and how frightening it would be to lose one's mind.
11 Star Trek: The Original Series - "The Conscience of the King"
Perhaps the most Shakespearean episode of Star Trek, this episode not only takes its title from the play Hamlet but also features a Shakespearean acting troupe and a rather Shakespearean-style plotline. The phrase used for the episode's title comes at the end of Act 2 of Hamlet, when Hamlet declares: "The play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king." When Hamlet states these lines, he wishes to use a stage performance to determine whether his uncle Claudius is guilty of murdering his father. Similarly, in "The Conscience of the King," Captain Kirk tries to determine if Anton Karidian (Arnold Moss), the leader of the visiting acting troupe is really a mass murderer named Kodos the Executioner. Kirk also has a questionable romance with Lenore Karidian (Barbara Anderson), Anton's deranged daughter who accidentally kills her own father, which again, feels very Shakespearean.
10 Star Trek: The Original Series - "By Any Other Name"
When the Enterprise responds to a distress call on a supposedly uninhabited planet, they encounter humanoid aliens known as Kelvans who take them captive with a plan to steal the Enterprise. Over the course of the episode, Kirk discovers that the Kelvans have only recently taken human form. Because of this, they are not accustomed to the flood of human emotions and sensations they have begun to experience, and this allows Kirk to outwit them. The title of the episode comes from the famous balcony scene from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, in which Juliet says: "That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." Not only does Kirk quote this very line in the episode, but the Kelvans' progression from human in name to human in nature illustrates the quote's main idea.
9 Star Trek: The Original Series - "All Our Yesterdays"
Another title taken from Shakespeare's Macbeth, this one comes in the final act when Macbeth delivers his famous "Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow" speech. Halfway through the speech, Macbeth says: "And all our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death." In this age, Macbeth laments his past actions and the perceived pointlessness of his existence. With a storyline not quite as bleak, "All Our Yesterdays" focuses on a group of people from the dying planet Sarpeidon who use a portal to travel back into their past. The Shakespearean title here refers to the Sarpeidons' decision to return to their so-called yesterdays.
8 Star Trek: The Next Generation - "Thine Own Self"
It makes sense that the only Star Trek: The Next Generation episode on this list would be one that prominently features the android Data (Brent Spiner). Throughout the series, Data explores his humanity by performing Shakespeare's plays. In season 7's "Thine Own Self," Data finds himself stranded in a small village with no memory of who he is or where he came from. The title comes from Hamlet and is spoken by Polonius, the councilor to the king. While offering supposed wisdom to his son, Polonius says: "This above all, to thine own self be true." Not only does Polonius not take his own advice, but he often speaks in meaningless platitudes. While this may complicate the meaning of the phrase as used in Hamlet, as the title of this TNG episode, it simply suggests that Data still behaves like Data even without his memories.
7 Star Trek: Voyager - "Mortal Coil"
In a heartbreaking Star Trek: Voyager story, the ship's Chef Neelix (Ethan Phillips) questions his will to live. After being killed on a mission, Neelix is brought back to life after nineteen hours. Troubled because he did not experience any kind of Afterlife, Neelix begins to question his beliefs and purpose in life. The title comes from one of Shakespeare's most famous ages, Hamlet's "To be, or not to be" soliloquy. As Hamlet ruminates on his own mortality, he questions: "For in that sleep of death, what dreams may come, when we have shuffled off this mortal coil?" Neelix, too, questions what comes after death and searches to find something worth living for.
6 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - "Once More Unto the Breach"
The last season of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine focused largely on the Federation's war with the Dominion. In "Once More Unto the Breach," aging Klingon warrior Kor (John Colicos) appeals to Worf (Michael Dorn) for a ship to lead into battle against the Dominion. Though Kor does not get to command a Starship, he does achieve the warrior death he desired when he sacrifices himself to save Worf and break the enemy's formation. As one of the most famous calls to battle in the English language, the title of this episode makes perfect sense. The lines come from Henry V, and his stirring speech that begins: "Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more; or close the wall up with our English dead."
5 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - "The Dogs of War"
As the eighth episode in the nine-part Dominion War arc, "The Dogs of War" sets up several stories for the finale of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. The title of this episode originates from Julius Caesar, in a speech delivered by Marc Antony. After the murder of Caesar, Mark Antony vows revenge against the traitorous senators who committed the murder, proclaiming that Caesar's spirit will "Cry 'Havoc!' and let slip the dogs of war." As the finale of DS9 will see the Federation unleash their final offensive against the Dominion, this call to war feels fitting for the penultimate episode.
4 Star Trek: Discovery - "Such Sweet Sorrow, Parts 1 & 2"
In the two-part finale for Star Trek: Discovery season 2, Commander Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the crew of the USS Discovery must travel 930 years into the future to prevent the artificially intelligent Control from taking over. The titles for these episodes come from Romeo and Juliet, in lines spoken by Juliet from her balcony. As Romeo must leave for the night, Juliet says: "Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow." In the second part of this episode, Michael parts with her brother Spock (Ethan Peck) for the last time, and the rest of the characters leave their past lives behind. These are likely the sorrowful goodbyes to which the title refers.
3 Star Trek: Discovery - "There is a Tide..."
In the Star Trek: Discovery season 3 episode, "There is a Tide...," Michael and her crew fight to regain control of the USS Discovery from Osyraa (Janet Kidder), the leader of the Emerald Chain syndicate. While Osyraa negotiates with the Federation's iral Vance (Oded Fehr), Michael leads the battle to take back the Discovery. The title for this one is spoken by Brutus in Julius Caesar: "There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune." Brutus has decided to take advantage of the situation he has found himself in, much like Michael does in this Discovery episode. (Also of note, Captain Picard recites this Brutus speech in the series finale of Star Trek: Picard.)