As a seasoned Trekker who’s been navigating the galaxy since the days of Kirk and Spock, I must say that the Trill species has always intrigued me with their unique symbiotic existence. The first encounter with Odan on the Enterprise-D was just the tip of the iceberg; it wasn’t until “Deep Space Nine” that we got a more comprehensive look at this fascinating race.
One captivating species featured in the “Star Trek” universe is known as the Trill. They are humanoids who share a remarkable bond with a sentient parasite. A select few of their individuals can merge with these symbionts, creating an extraordinary link where the memories and learnings of each host are shared, thus preserving their knowledge across generations. As the character Trill Odan (portrayed by Franc Luz) explains in the “Star Trek: The Next Generation” episode titled “The Host,” the Trills are a species that consist of both a host body and a symbiont, which has allowed them to endure for thousands of years.
Although it’s possible for a Trill to join temporarily with a non-Trill species in an emergency situation, these events almost always lead to deterioration in the host body. When Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes) temporarily hosts the Odan symbiont, his immune system is badly affected, a condition Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden) refers to as “classic rejection syndrome.” A notable exception is Adira’s (Blu del Barrio) joining with Gray Tal (Ian Alexander) in the canon-altering “Star Trek: Discovery” episode “Forget-Me-Not,” a joining that ends when Hugh Culber (Wilson Cruz) transfers Gray’s symbiont into an organically engineered android known as a golem in “Choose to Live.”
Prior to the Enterprise-D’s mission in 2367 that transported Ambassador Odan to mediate a dispute, it appeared as though the Trill had not openly disclosed that some of their kind harbored symbionts. Despite Beverly Crusher’s extensive medical knowledge of various non-human species, she was initially unaware that Odan was host to a parasite when she discovered it in “The Host.” Her reaction suggested genuine surprise upon learning that his body served as a mere vessel.
The Trill look changed over time
“In ‘The Host’, the story predominantly revolved around Crusher’s mission to save an Odan symbiont and the intricate relationship between a Trill and the Enterprise doctor. As a result, ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ provided only fundamental insights into the Trill species. However, ‘Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’ and ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ later enriched our understanding of the Trill race, exploring topics such as their joinings, psychological aspects, and even aspects of their homeworld. This extensive exploration essentially led to a significant overhaul of the Trill species as we know it.”
One of the most glaring examples of the Trill transformation is their physiology. The face of the male Trill host featured in “The Next Generation” features prominent facial ridges — ridges that are also seen in the female Trill host Kareel Odan (Nicole Orth-Pallavicini). However, the production team behind “Deep Space Nine” would ultimately decide to scrap the ridges, something David Carson acknowledged this fact in Mark A. Altman’s “The Fifty-Year Mission: The Complete, Uncensored, and Unauthorized Oral History of Star Trek: The Next 25 Years from The Next Generation to J. J. Abrams.”
As per Carson’s account, these facial ridges in the screen tests didn’t enhance Terry Farrell, who played Jadzia Dax in “Deep Space Nine”. Initially, during filming, she had prosthetic bumps on her face. However, these didn’t highlight her obvious charm, so it was decided to keep her face as is and add spots instead, which were concealed under the collar of her costume.
The Trill species lore evolved greatly over time
In the series “Deep Space Nine”, there are significant additions to the Trill lore, starting with a few major alterations or retcons. Initially, it appears that the Federation was unaware of the unique joined nature of the Trills, which raises a question about continuity in the Star Trek universe regarding Commander Benjamin Sisko’s (Avery Brooks) long-standing friendship with Curzon Dax (Frank Owen Smith), as established in “Emissary”. However, according to “Deep Space Nine”, this friendship predates Captain Crusher’s first encounter with the Trill species by more than a decade.
However, a significant inconsistency arises regarding the Trill’s association with transporters, as Odan firmly believes using them would be fatal – a claim contradicted by Jadzia Dax’s frequent transporter use in “Deep Space Nine.” In an AOL chat from 1997, Trek writer Ronald D. Moore admitted, “The Trill were not meant to utilize transporters; we simply overlooked this detail (as with the original Trill makeup).” Moreover, it appears another retcon concerning the Trill’s cultural prohibitions against new hosts maintaining relationships with their former friends and lovers may be present in “Deep Space Nine.” While Udan might have disregarded these rules, there is room for debate whether Jadzia Dax followed suit.
“Deep Space Nine” delved deeper into the Trill homeland and joining procedure, introducing the intricate milk protein pools found beneath Mak’ala’s caves as a native dwelling for symbionts. As demonstrated in the “Discovery” episode “Forget-Me-Not”, immersion in these pools enables individuals to engage in psychic communication with each other and the symbionts residing within them.
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2024-09-03 21:09