Incoming Hail! 10 Favorite Modern Star Trek TV Quotes

Ever since Star Trek: Discovery’s debut in 2017, a new modern era of Star Trek has taken the small screen by storm. Now, in 2025, we have six series, all vastly different in tone and settings, to watch after our requisite classic Trek binge-watches.

In honor of Star Trek: Starfleet Academy‘s series premiere, I’ve compiled a list of 10 wonderful quotes from this current era of Star Trek. If there’s a commonality these shows share, it’s their aptitude for delivering compelling, thought-provoking, and sometimes funny dialogue.

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“Survive. That is how you honor them. Teach others what you know. That is how you avenge them.” – Philippa Georgiou

Mirror Universe Philippa Georgiou from Star Trek: Discovery might not be as good-natured and empathetic as the one Michael Burnham grew close to, but she still has plenty of wisdom to impart. Clawing your way to the top in a ruthless, Terran-run universe is not easy.

Even out of context, this quote from season 3 episode 10, “Terra Firma, Part 2,” can be applied to real life. We can honor our dearly departed loved ones simply by surviving and dispensing what we learned from them to those around us.

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“The only way to defeat fear is to tell it ‘No.’” – Michael Burnham

Season 1 episode 15, “Will You Take My Hand?” saw the USS Discovery prevent MU Georgiou from exploding the Klingons’ homeworld, Qo’noS. Thankfully, this achievement brought the Federation-Klingon War grinding to a halt as the two warring parties signed a peace treaty.

Michael Burnham, who was reinstated as a commander following the war, knows a thing or two about fear. She inadvertently started this war, faced a life of imprisonment, and ultimately helped end the fighting. If that were me, my anxiety would be perpetually at the steering wheel.

At the end of the day, look that fear in the face and tell it “No.”

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“Even in fear, you can still step forward.” – Saru

Saru served as captain of the Discovery in season 3. That’s a first for his species — a Kelpien helming a Starfleet ship. His race is known for being submissive and constantly living in fear. Fear is their modus operandi.

However, after undergoing a transformation of sorts in season 2, Saru learned to rise above his fear. He makes a great point in season 3 episode 13, “That Hope That Is You, Part 2.” Even in fear, you can still step forward.

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“Sometimes, hope is a choice.” – Christopher Pike

Coming hot on the heels of the lighthearted, levity-filled musical episode, Captain Pike and his crew found themselves fighting for survival on a colony outside Federation space. The infamous Gorn returned to kidnap innocent people, and set said colony on fire.

In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 2 episode 10, “Hegemony,” Pike tells La’An Noonien-Singh that, sometimes, hope is a choice. It’s not always a given or a fixture at the edge of darkness. We must manifest it and bring it into existence. Having hope in the direst of circumstances can make a world of difference.

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“You refer to my human side as a handicap, yet my mother is the most resilient, compassionate, tolerant person I have known, one who has been judged by Vulcans her entire life. And yet she stands by for love, for family, for me. That is no handicap. That is true strength.” – Spock

Season 2 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds allowed Spock to continue exploring his human side. His relationship with Nurse Christine Chapel certainly opened things up for him. However, in season 2 episode 5, “Charades,” he’s still engaged to T’Pring. His mother, Amanda Grayson, joined him and T’Pring’s parents for a traditional Vulcan ceremony to solidify the union. The problem? Spock looked (and felt) a little too human.

Spock’s touching monologue honors his mom and recognizes the unadulterated strength that comes from embracing your humanity. Ultimately, this turning point leads him to acknowledge and nurture his own humanity.

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“If all those people from all those worlds can work together, side by side, maybe I could, too. Maybe I could be a part of something bigger than myself. Starfleet is not a perfect organization, but it strives to be. And I believe it could be … Ad Astra Per Aspera.” – Una Chin-Riley

In Strange New Worlds season 2 episode 2, “Ad Astra Per Aspera,” Una Chin-Riley, AKA Number One, was on trial for concealing her Illyrian identity from Starfleet. Her fellow USS Enterprise crewmates testified in support of her, advocating for her to remain in Starfleet and not be stripped of command. Una delivered a stirring speech about why she joined Starfleet and how much she aligned with its moral compass and ideals.

It’s a metaphor for us humans — we’re a diverse bunch, all striving to work in tandem for a better tomorrow. We’re not perfect by any means, but we try.

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“Love can be a source of great grief and immense pain – a tremendous guilt, a reason to run from ourselves or away from each other. Love can be a curse, but always and completely, it’s a gift.” – Tallinn

In Star Trek: Picard season 2 episode 9, “Hide and Seek,” the penultimate episode, Jean-Luc Picard and his team endeavored to take down the Borg Queen. Picard also came to terms with his mother’s suicide and absolved himself of the guilt he had carried all these years.

This quote from Tallinn perfectly encapsulates love. It’s often painful and a source of grief and guilt. We try to find reasons not to love. However, despite being a curse, it’s really the ultimate gift.

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“What I’ve come to understand is that instead of organics, what I really need to subjugate is … my feelings. I have conquered self-doubt and seized personal growth!”  – Lord Tyrannikillicus

Lord Tyrannikillicus is one of my favorite side characters from Star Trek: Lower Decks. We don’t know why he was an inmate at the Daystrom Institute, but the series gave him a delightful (though brief) redemption arc.

Season 4 episode 7, “A Few Badgeys More,” blessed us with LT’s breakthrough in therapy. Even sentient computers who love killing can have revelations about their problematic behavior. I, too, am trying to conquer self-doubt and seize personal growth.

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“Fear of failure has killed more dreams than anything else, so I usually go for it.” – Kathryn Janeway

Star Trek: Prodigy season 1 episode 14, “Crossroads,” saw the USS Dauntless, helmed by Vice Admiral Kathryn Janeway, closing in on the missing USS Protostar. Dal and his crew went on the lam as the Romulans accused Janeway of committing an act of war.

Our Janeway, whether in human or hologram form, always has a motivational quote up her sleeve. She’s right – fear of failure has demolished countless dreams. It’s human nature to refrain from acting out of fear. However, it’s usually best to just go for it.

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“We all deserve to belong somewhere.” – Dal

Janeway and the Protostar gang strove to thwart the Diviner in season 1 episode 19, “Supernova, Part 1,” whose plan to destroy Starfleet was one step closer to fruition. There’s nothing like a crisis that sets one’s priorities in order.

A significant prevailing theme in Star Trek: Prodigy is belonging. This group of misfits seized control of an abandoned Starfleet ship and worked together as they journeyed toward the Alpha Quadrant. They inevitably found a sense of belonging and community as fellow outcasts.

Enter Dal’s simple yet profound quote. No matter who you are, you deserve to belong somewhere.

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What are your favorite quotes from modern Star Trek? Join the conversation alongside other Star Trek fans over at Sideshow Social Network or in side.show/geekgroup, and don’t forget to Let Your Geek Sideshow!