The Top 20 most impactful deaths in Star Trek history

Copyright Paramount / CBS – Ensign Sito

15. Ensign Sito Jaxa

From an occupied planet, to an unfortunate academy decision, to a suicide mission to save an enemy of her people. The Life of Ensign Sito Jaxa was short, tragic and impactful.

She started off as one of a group of cadets who were looking to make a statement, to perform a maneuver which had been banned but Starfleet due to its inherent dangers, and banned with good reason as it led to the death of one of her close friends, and to the termination of one of the great upcoming pilots in the academy.

From there Sito Jaxa went on to graduate the academy, and unbeknownst to her she was requested transferred to the flagship by Captain Picard himself as he wanted to be sure she would have a chance to redeem herself, a fact she would find out during one of the best episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, entitled Lower Decks which showed her character come full circle as she learned to stand up for herself, take pride in who she was and what she had gone through to get where she was again.

Her death at the end of the episode completed an excellent and in many ways unparalleled character arc for Ensign Sito.  it would also have a notable impact on Worf, who in part because of the death of someone under his wing as she had been would go on to become a stronger leader and eventually serve as the defecto captain of the USS Defiant.