We’re looking at the best couples in Star Trek history on Valentine’s Day
With Valentine’s Day coming to an end, we figured we’d wrap up our Valentine’s Day-themed Star Trek posts by looking at the best couples in Star Trek history. There really were some good ones, even if Star Trek isn’t too known for its romance stories.
We’ve already covered the couples we wish we had, and the ones we are desperate to forget, but now we’re looking at the best that Star Trek had to offer.
Like with the other two, this is in no particular order, but we do have some honorable mentions to get to first.
Honorable Mentions
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Benjamin Sisko and Cassidy Yates
This was a great romance, but it doesn’t make the list for a few reasons; one Cassidy was a smuggler with ties to the Maquis, and Benjamin had her arrested over it. No one in the top three can have arrested the other. That’s a big romantic no-no. Plus, without going too deep into spoilers, their ending isn’t a happy one.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Odo and Kira
Like with Sisko and Yates, Odo and Kira were torn over one another for almost the entirety of the series. They were together for about one full season across the last six episodes of season six and all but the finale in season seven when Odo returns to his planet.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Worf and Jadzia
This was a great pairing and was wonderful to see unfold during their three seasons together but like with others on this list, there was a definitive flaw. In their case, it was their ending.
Star Trek: Voyager – Tom Paris and B’Elanna Torres
Usually, it’s the guy that is afraid of commitment but Voyager flipped that on its head with B’Elanna Torres and Tom Paris. It was a great slow build that finally saw them become a great, fully fleshed-out couple. Unfortunately their great “couple-moments” came few and far between.
Star Trek: The Next Generation – Will Riker and Deanna Troi
Deanna Troi and Will Riker were one of the pre-show arcs that were explored before the events of The Next Generation. Having known each other prior to the events of the show, there was obvious tension when they were reunited on the U.S.S. Enterprise.
It was revealed in season six that the reason for the breakup was due to William putting his work and career ahead of their relationship, leading to them splitting up and Riker and Troi moving on to other potential partners. The couple would do the typical “will they or won’t they dance” throughout the series, because TV writers don’t know how to develop and cultivate a relationship without causing unnecessary drama.
The two would eventually get back together during and after the events of Star Trek: Insurrection and would later get married to start Star Trek: Nemesis. From there, the two would be nearly inseparable, serving together during the events of Star Trek: Lower Decks, and later going on to have children during the events of Star Trek: Picard.
They were the first real couple Star Trek had that lasted more than an episode or two and they’re still among the fans’ favorites today.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – Leeta and Rom
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine may have featured one of the sweetest romances between two characters that didn’t see a destructive end, or were instantly killed off after a few episodes. Despite being around since season three, Leet and Rom wouldn’t get together until season five, after Dr. Lewis Zimmerman asked Leeta to join him at Jupiter Station. That was all Rom needed to finally profess his love for her.
The two became the most wholesome couple in the history of Star Trek, very rarely having any arguments and being steadfast in their devotion to her. It didn’t hurt that Rom got all slack-jawed and doe-eyed around her. Their marriage came near the end of season give, which was rather poor timing, as the Dominion War would start in earnest the very next day.
Despite all the violence and destruction, the couple remained united throughout all of it. Even when Rom had to stay behind on the station and serve as a Federation spy after Dominion forces took control of the ship.
When the war was over and the series neared a close, Rom became the Grand Nagus and the two returned to Ferenginar. In extended lore, Leeta would go on to follow her step-son Nog into Starfleet.
Multiple Star Trek Series – Chief O’Brien and Keiko
This might be a controversial take, but Chief Miles O’Brien and his wife Keiko seemed to be the most authentic and real relationship in the show’s tenure. They were at times short with one another, at other times had issues with each other’s works, but they were always loyal to one another and cared about one another despite their issues and differences.
They got married in Kieko’s first appearance on the series and stayed together through the end of Deep Space Nine and beyond. There are issues fans bring up with Keiko, like her resistance to going to Deep Space Nine at first, and then, of course, her work that took off her the station for months but these aren’t unusual situations and they certainly don’t paint her as a villain; most people would have issues moving across the state, and Miles asked her to move to the other side of the quadrant. So it’s not exactly a problem for her to have issues with something so monumental.
The biggest issue with her is she’s written at times to be an obstacle for Miles to deal with, and that’s a flaw with the writing, not the character.
People always forget how loving she was during Miles unfair Cardassian trial or how she helped him when he was sent to a mental prison for what seemed like decades, even though it was over in mere moments.
Among other numerous times. The two bickered and didn’t always see eye to eye but what couple does? They always found a way back to one another and isn’t that the point of being in a marriage?