Back in the days of Star Trek: The Original Series, Captain Kirk and his crew faced off with some repeat foes that were both dangerous and cunning, but few were as frightening as the Romulans. With their cloaking device and fast, well-armed ships, the Romulans would remain a thorn in Starfleet's side for years.
Despite the creation of the Neutral Zone after the war between the Romulans and Earth, these distant cousins of the Vulcans continued to menace and disrupt the peace. So, let's recognize the three most memorable Romulans from The Original Series.
1. The Romulan commander (Mark Lenard: "Balance of Terror")
When Captain Kirk and his crew receive orders to approach the Romulan Neutral Zone to investigate the loss of communication from several outposts, a Romulan commander lures them into a deadly cat-and-mouse game that raises the tension scene after scene. He's not just a foe--his presence at the Neutral Zone might spark off another war.
The Romulan commander is stealthy in his attacks. He uncloaks, attacks, then cloaks again before the USS Enterprise has the chance to follow or fire a weapon. This kind of strategy strikes fear into the hearts of their prey, as they never know when another attack is coming. When the crew gets a glimpse of the Romulan commander, he looks much like a Vulcan, prompting Mr. Spock to warn Kirk that if their enemy is an offshoot of his father's people, then there's no doubt he's dangerous.
The commander eventually destroys himself, along with his crippled vessel, after telling Kirk, "In a different reality, I could have called you friend." While we know the Romulans do not take captives, courtesy of the TOS episode "The Deadly Years," they do not allow themselves to be taken captive either. Mark Lenard's Romulan commander was a true soldier!