Star Trek's animated series, Star Trek: Lower Decks and Star Trek: Prodigy, were a haven for legacy actor comebacks, especially since they could voice their characters in scenarios where their real-world ages and appearances were not an issue. Perhaps the most surprising return was Jolene Blalock voicing Star Trek: Enterprise's T'Pol on Star Trek: Lower Decks. George Takei also voiced Captain Sulu on Star Trek: Lower Decks, while Walter Koenig voiced Federation President Anton Chekov on Star Trek: Picard.
Unfortunately, with Star Trek: Lower Decks now over on Paramount+, and Star Trek: Prodigy's future uncertain on Netflix, there are far fewer opportunities for Star Trek legacy actors to mount comebacks. However, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy could use sci-fi means to incorporate legacy characters, just as The Doctor (Robert Picardo) from Star Trek: Voyager is integrated into the newest Star Trek TV series. Whether in animation or a dream live-action comeback, here are the 14 biggest Star Trek names we're still waiting for.
14John Billingsley
Dr. Phlox On Star Trek: Enterprise
Although Doctor Phlox is still waiting for his Star Trek comeback, John Billingsley continues to act. Billingsley recently appeared in the feature film The Shift, the Apple TV+ miniseries Manhunt, and the Matlock reboot series. Billingsley is also part of the leadership of the Hollywood Food Coalition, and he is part of Trek Against Pancreatic Cancer, raising funds in the fight against pancreatic cancer.
13Anthony Montgomery
Ensign Travis Mayweather On Star Trek: Enterprise
Although Ensign Travis Mayweather was seen in the Star Trek: very Short Treks episode "Holograms All The Way Down," Anthony Montgomery didn't voice his character, and Star Trek: very Short Treks is not considered part of official canon. Montgomery remains a working actor and is a popular guest at Star Trek conventions. Fans and Anthony would surely welcome his return as Mayweather.
12Dominic Keating
Lieutenant Malcolm Reed On Star Trek: Enterprise
Lieutenant Malcolm Reed was the Armory Officer of the NX-01 Enterprise, and Dominic Keating's last time playing Reed was in Star Trek: Enterprise's 2005 series finale. Reed was referenced on Star Trek: Lower Decks, but Keating didn't voice his British Starfleet Officer, who was also affiliated with Section 31 in the 22nd century.
11Linda Park
Ensign Hoshi Sato On Star Trek: Enterprise
Ensign Hoshi Sato was the Communications Officer aboard the NX-01 Enterprise, and Linda Park's last time portraying her young linguistic prodigy was in Star Trek: Enterprise's series finale. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds established Hoshi as the inspiration for her successor, Ensign Nyota Uhura (Celia Rose Gooding). Park continues to act, including appearing in Apple TV+'s For All Mankind, but Star Trek: Enterprise fans would love to see Linda reprise Hoshi Sato.
10Connor Trinneer
Commander Trip Tucker On Star Trek: Enterprise
Commander Charles "Trip" Tucker III was the Chief Engineer of the NX-01 Enterprise. One of Star Trek: Enterprise's most popular characters, Trip's death in Enterprise's series finale, "These Are The Voyages..." lives on in infamy two decades later. Yet Trip has often been mentioned in Star Trek: Lower Decks, and, in an alternate timeline, Trip and T'Pol were married for decades.
Connor Trinneer voiced Trip Tucker in the Star Trek: very Short Treks episode, "Holograms All The Way Down," but it was a non-canonical appearance. Star Trek fans await a potential reversal of Trip's controversial death or his resurrection in a future Star Trek appearance. Meanwhile, Trinneer and Dominic Keating co-host the popular podcast, The D-Con Chamber.
9Ethan Phillips
Neelix On Star Trek: Voyager
A popular but controversial Star Trek: Voyager character, Neelix was the first Talaxian in Star Trek, and he was the USS Voyager's self-appointed morale officer and chef. Neelix is best remembered for his romance with Kes (Jennifer Lien) and the Talaxian's offbeat friendship with the Vulcan Lieutenant Tuvok (Tim Russ). Neelix exited Star Trek: Voyager right before its 2001 series finale, "Endgame."
8Roxann Dawson
Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres On Star Trek: Voyager
A former member of the Maquis with Commander Chakotay (Robert Beltran), the half-Klingon Lt. B'Elanna Torres was Chief Engineer of the USS Voyager for all seven seasons of Star Trek: Voyager. Torres married Lieutenant Tom Paris (Robert Duncan McNeill), but while Paris has returned in Star Trek: Lower Decks, Torres has yet to make her Star Trek comeback. Although, B'Elanna was name-dropped on Star Trek: Prodigy.
Roxann Dawson has made a name for herself as a prolific director, but Star Trek: Voyager fans still want to see her return as B'Elanna Torres. Between Star Trek: Prodigy, Star Trek: Picard, and Star Trek: Lower Decks, nearly every other member of Star Trek: Voyager's cast has made a comeback, and Roxann Dawson's B'Elanna is one of the few missing Voyager icons.
7Nicole de Boer
Lieutenant Ezri Dax on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
6Colm Meaney
Chief Miles O'Brien On Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Chief Miles Edward O'Brien was the Chief Engineer of Deep Space Nine, and the last time Colm Meaney played his beloved Irish everyman Starfleet hero was in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's series finale. At the end of DS9, O'Brien moved to Earth with his family to teach at Starfleet Academy.
Although Colm Meaney has shot down the idea of reprising O'Brien now that it's been over 25 years since DS9 wrapped, Star Trek fans still hope to see the man Star Trek: Lower Decks called "the most important person in Starfleet history."
5Terry Farrell
Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax On Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Lt. Commander Jadzia Dax was the beloved Science Officer of Deep Space Nine, and the late wife of Lt. Commander Worf (Michael Dorn). Terry Farrell exited Star Trek: Deep Space Nine at the end of season 6, and she hasn't played Dax since 1998. Still, fans continue to hope Star Trek will find a way to resurrect Jadzia so that Terry Farrell can finally return, and perhaps even have Jadiza and Nicole de Boer's Ezri Dax somehow share the screen.
4Cirroc Lofton
Jake Sisko On Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Jake Sisko was the son of Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) who pursued a career as a writer and reporter instead of following his legendary father into Starfleet. Cirroc Lofton was the youngest cast member on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and he was a series regular despite making only 71 appearances. The last time Lofton played Jake was in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's finale.
3Scott Bakula
Captain Jonathan Archer On Star Trek: Enterprise
Captain Jonathan Archer was the first Captain of the Enterprise, commanding the pioneering 22nd century voyages of the NX-01 Enterprise. Captain Archer's mission established the crucial alliances that formed the United Federation of Planets, and Archer served as the first Federation President after his Starfleet career ended. Scott Bakula's last appearance as Archer was in Star Trek: Enterprise's series fianle in 2005.
2Avery Brooks
Captain Benjamin Sisko On Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Starting as Commander and ending as Captain, Benjamin Sisko was the commander of Deep Space Nine and the USS Defiant. Captain Sisko was not just a war hero who was instrumental in the United Federation of Planets' victory over the Dominion in the Dominion War, but Benjamin was also the Emissary of the Prophets of Bajor. Captain Sisko's last appearance was in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's finale.
Star Trek fans continue to hope that Avery can be persuaded to play Captain Sisko one more time.
Avery Brooks has retired from acting and distanced himself from Star Trek, making his comeback as Captain Sisko unlikely. Still, Brooks remains close with his on-screen son, Cirroc Lofton, and Star Trek fans continue to hope that Avery can be persuaded to play Captain Sisko one more time.
